France will return 8,659 historical artifacts seized to Turkey

Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced on social media that 8,659 historical artifacts seized in France will be returned to Turkey.

“We are getting back 8,659 of our artifacts seized in France!

It all started in 2019 when the Anti-Smuggling Department of our Ministry detected a large number of coins of Anatolian origin that were put up for sale at an auction house in Austria. The investigation initiated in Austria was connected to France.

FRANCE INITIATED AN EXEMPLARY INVESTIGATION

French law enforcement forces launched a comprehensive and exemplary investigation against the individuals who were marketing these artifacts that were illegally taken out of our country.

ANADOLU AND MİRAS OPERATION

Meanwhile, the Anadolu and Miras Operation, carried out by the Turkish police and which had a great impact worldwide, dismantled the Turkish branch of the criminal network that smuggled these artifacts.

The World Customs Organization strengthened the flow of information by providing coordination between countries. As a result of all these efforts, 8,659 artifacts, including coins and inscriptions, were seized by the French Customs and Intelligence Unit.

I would like to thank the French Customs and Intelligence Unit, the General Directorate of Security of the Ministry of Interior, KOM Presidency, the Bulgarian, German, Austrian and World Customs Organization authorities, the General Directorate of Customs Protection of the Ministry of Trade, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and all my colleagues for their efforts.”