Italian Police dismantle international gang of artefact robbers

DW: Italian police on Wednesday said an international criminal gang who stole artefacts from Sicilian archaeological sites had been dismantled with scores of arrests made.

A total of 23 people have been arrested in relation to the gang, with eight in custody, seven under house arrest in Italy, and three subject to European arrest warrants in Germany, Spain and Britain.

The group “illegally exported” many of the stolen artefacts to Germany where they were granted fake certificates of origin and sold by auction houses in Munich, the Carabinieri art heritage police said.

Some of the 20,000 objects recovered included ancient coins, statues and pottery, as well as fake artefacts, and police said the haul was estimated to be worth more than €40 million ($46.5 million).

 

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