Antiquities Smugglers Arrested on Greek Island of Crete
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Loading... - Emilia Salo
- 19 Apr 2023
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On Tuesday, Greek police arrested five suspected antiquities smugglers on the island of Crete during an operation to dismantle a criminal ring responsible for the theft of historically valuable items.
During the operation, the police seized and recovered several items including seven coffins and vessels. The ancient items are said to have a combined value in excess of €500,000.
The operation on Tuesday was reportedly the culmination of four months of investigation and casework.
Antiquity smuggling ring intercepted on Crete
According to Greek media sources the police operation took place in the area of Krousonas in the municipality of Malevizi.
About four months of investigative work took place to identify the members of the antiquity smuggling ring and their location. The police operation reportedly got the go ahead on Monday when the location of the stolen antiquities was determined.
The police searched houses in the Krousonas area and arrested at least five individuals believed to have taken part in the theft of the valuable historical items.
The wider issue
The theft of antiquities is one of the most lucrative illicit trades. According to Euronews, during the years of the pandemic, the global trade in black market antiquities was worth $10 billion (€9 billion) over a two year period. Read More…
