International Antiquities Trafficking Ring Busted: Greek Man Arrested

A major international antiquities trafficking network has been dismantled by Europol, leading to the arrest of a 60-year-old Greek man in Greece. The arrested individual, an archaeologist teaching at a Czech university, was found in possession of hundreds of ancient artifacts.

Coordinated searches took place in seven countries following a request from Bulgarian authorities, resulting in a total of 35 arrests. The alleged ringleader is reportedly a prominent figure in the Bulgarian underworld.

The investigation began in 2020 when Bulgarian authorities seized approximately 7,000 cultural artifacts during a house raid. The artifacts, mainly Greco-Roman and Thracian antiquities, are housed in the National History Museum of Bulgaria.

In Greece, the investigation led to the seizure of 474 ancient objects, 4 ancient coins, and other items from various locations, including Athens and Halkidiki. Computers, a 3D printer, and banking documents were also seized.

Authorities estimate the value of the seized antiquities to be over 100 million euros.