Italian Police Seize 3,500 Artifacts

Italian police arrested 16 individuals and discovered more than 3,500 artifacts while dismantling a "ferocious network" of artifact thieves and international smugglers of ancient Greek and Roman artifacts. The Carabinieri recovered hundreds of gold, silver, and bronze coins from the ancient Greek and Roman eras, as well as jewelry, plates, cups, jars, and miniatures dating from the 4th century BC to the 3rd century AD. The police stated that "the items had been collected from illegal excavations in the regions of Apulia, Campania, and southern Basilicata, and were intended to be smuggled abroad, possessing invaluable historical and artistic value and significant commercial worth."