Turkish Police has seized around 1981 historical artefacts dating back to the Roman and Byzantine periods were seized during an anti-smuggling operation in Istanbul’s Çekmeköy district.
The officers of Istanbul Provincial Gendarmerie Command units detained two suspects, who were in possession of the historical pieces through illegal excavations in Istanbul’s Aksaray. The individuals were seeking to sell the artefacts for 1 million US dollars in the black market. Officers of the gendarmerie units stopped and searched the suspects’ car in Çekmeköy, confiscating the historical artefacts hidden in the trunk. The suspects were referred to the court following necessary procedures at the gendarmerie command. According to experts of Istanbul Archeological Museum, the artefacts were priceless, and would help to shed light on some periods of the Roman and Byzantine eras.
(after Daily Sabah)