Iraq: Smuggling of 800 Antiquities Foiled and Suspect Arrested in Baghdad - Sarmad

The Iraqi Federal Investigation Agency announced the thwarting of a large smuggling operation involving antiquities entering from outside the country, and the arrest of the suspect in possession of the items in Baghdad.

In a statement, the agency said that units from the Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (Rusafa sector) caught the suspect in the act and seized more than 800 ancient coin specimens before they could be smuggled or dealt with.

The statement added that the suspect confessed during initial investigations that he possessed the items for the purpose of trading them outside legal frameworks, and affirmed that the agency’s units would continue to pursue antiquities smuggling networks to safeguard the country’s cultural and civilizational heritage.