Tomb-raider ring busted in Italy
Criminals used excavators to get to delicate treasures
06 July, 18:26
(ANSA) - Rome, July 6 - Police said Wednesday that they had
busted a big tomb-raiding ring that pillaged sites in southern
and central Italy for priceless treasures.Officers carried out 50 searches in 21 towns and cities, including Rome and Naples, and seized 2,298 items, including ancient coins, medals, ceramics and statues, as well as fossils.
They said 47 people face charges ranging from illegally obtaining objects belonging to the state to receiving stolen goods. Investigators said that in some cases the tomb raiders used excavators to get to the buried treasures, even though this often led to extensive damage to the delicate items and the archaeological sites they were part of.
Brochure: 
