Bulgarian Police Bust Illegal Antique Trade

Crime | December 5, 2010, Sunday // 14:11
Bulgarian Police Bust Illegal Antique Trade: Bulgarian Police Bust Illegal Antique Trade Many precious antique objects discovered in Bulgaria are in private, undeclared collections. File photo

The Bulgarian police was able to halt illegal antique trade and illegal archeological digs in the area of the ancient city of Nove, the Interior Ministry reports Sunday.

The police operation was carried out in three cities – Veliko Tarnovo, Pleven and Ruse. Large quantities of antique coins, jewelry and ceramics have been seized.

The ringleader is believed to be a 63-year-old man from the Danube city of Ruse, who employed four people to do the excavations. He sold the precious finds to merchants he knew and they resold them and/or exported them abroad.

The man was arrested along with five other individuals from Pleven, Sofia and Lovech on suspicion of trading and selling the antique objects.

The four people who did the digs were also detained.

The police search discovered 250 silver and 2 380 bronze coins, over 400 ornaments – rings, medieval crosses, and others, and five antique ceramic vessels. Four metal detectors were also confiscated.

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Tags: antique smuggling, antiques, treasure hunting, police, Nove

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