Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. recently announced the return of 29 previously looted antiquities to Greece. These items, valued at $3 million, are part of a larger effort to combat the illicit trade in cultural heritage. The recovered pieces were intertwined with various international smuggling and trafficking networks, notably linked to known traffickers Robin Symes and Eugene Alexander, as reported by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.
The artifacts were seized during ongoing investigations led by the Antiquities Trafficking Unit (ATU), which has been working to curb the trade of stolen cultural property. "The impact of these significant trafficking networks are still felt in New York, and we will continue to work alongside our partners around the globe to return stolen objects," Bragg stated in a press release. The ATU's efforts have been particularly successful during Bragg's tenure, with approximately 2,400 antiquities recovered from 47 countries and valued at $260 million.
Key pieces among the returned artifacts include a Bronze Foot in the Form of a Sphinx, dating back to approximately 600 B.C.E., and a Bronze Applique of a Gorgon from the same era. These historical items were once on display at prominent institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, prior to being seized by the ATU. Greek officials expressed their gratitude and optimism regarding the international cooperation that allowed for this recovery. "Warm thanks go to all who contributed to the return of these 29 antiquities," said Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni, in a statement obtained by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.
This act of repatriation is part of a larger effort focused on cultural preservation and international law enforcement collaboration. The Antiquities Trafficking Unit (ATU), led by Matthew Bogdanos, along with partners such as Homeland Security Investigations, continuously track and dismantle complex trafficking networks. Since its establishment, the ATU has secured convictions against 18 individuals for crimes related to cultural property and has returned approximately 5,750 antiquities to 31 countries.
The Manhattan District Attorney's Office acknowledged the cooperation of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Fortuna Fine Arts in the investigation. The partnership between the ATU and Greece's Ministry of Culture’s Directorate of Documentation and Protection of Cultural Goods also involved cross-border efforts to recover cultural property and combat related crimes.
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