Seda Sevencan
26 February 2020•Update: 26 February 2020
ISTANBUL
Istanbul police seized more than 3,700 historical artifacts in citywide operations, including more than 2,000-year-old objects, security sources said on Wednesday.
Acting on a tip, the anti-smuggling and organized crime teams launched 11 operations between Jan. 13 and Feb. 25 in several districts of Istanbul, arresting 12 suspects.
Among the artifacts seized were over 3,400 pieces of coins and some 260 ancient objects, with some of them belonging to the Byzantine, Roman, Greek, Hellenistic, Ottoman, and Seljuk eras.
Candle holders from the 17th century featuring Mamluk-era motifs, a war spear with a Quranic verse on it, and 2,400-year-old ceramic objects, as well as 2,200-year-old Roman era glassworks, were among the pieces.
The suspects were released by the court pending trial.
* Writing by Seda Sevencan
