TAMPA, Fla. – ICE Homeland Security Investigations Tampa has seized more than 22,000 artifacts as part of an ongoing investigation into global antiquities smuggling, the agency reported late last month.
The seizures were carried out by ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations Tampa office, HSI’s Cultural Property, Art and Antiquities division, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. HSI described it as one of the largest seizures in the agency’s history.
In a release, ICE officials said that the items being evaluated include the following:
Coins
Terracotta pots and vases
Statues
Weapons
Jewelry
Trinkits
Mosaic picture frames
ICE officials said that the seized artifacts include statues, jewelry, and coins. (U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement)
According to officials, preliminary evaluations indicate that some of these objects may have originated from ancient civilizations dating between 1,000 and 5,000 years ago, from sites across Europe, Africa and the Levant, and the Eastern Mediterranean.
“Cultural property can range from Egyptian statutes to Byzantine glass vessels to ancient Greek and Roman coins,” the release reads. “Unlike narcotics, there is no field test for antiquities, so HSI partners with experts at local universities to identify and authenticate objects.”
During a week of processing, more than a dozen specialists helped examine the collection. Faculty and research teams from the University of South Florida and the University of Pennsylvania are assisting with analysis, historical context and conservation.
An HSI Tampa special agent holding up an ancient artifact (U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement)
HSI officials said the investigation is focused not only on preserving cultural heritage but also on disrupting criminal networks that profit from stolen or illegally exported artifacts. Authorities say the black-market trade can be used to launder money, finance criminal operations and, in some cases, support terrorist activity.
Any objects determined to be stolen or illegally removed from their countries of origin could eventually be repatriated, or returned to those nations.
“The identification and authentication process for so many pieces will take some time to complete,” said Mary Cook, a senior adviser with HSI’s Cultural Property, Art and Antiquities Program. “HSI wants to take every step necessary to ensure a civilization’s history is preserved for generations to come.”
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