Six individuals were arrested in Crete for their involvement in an antiquities smuggling ring, with authorities seizing over 40 archaeological artifacts, including Cycladic figurines, statuettes, and everyday use items. The arrests were made following a coordinated operation by the Athens Directorate for the Suppression of Organized Crime, in collaboration with local police services from Crete, as reported by CNN Greece.
The artifacts are believed to be of high archaeological and commercial value, although a final evaluation is pending from the Antiquities Service. Among the seized items are numerous Cycladic figurines, which are considered invaluable due to their historical significance and rarity.
The operation culminated at the residence of one of the suspects in Atsipades Monofatsiou. Police officers searched the property and discovered the cache of artifacts, which are now in the possession of the authorities. The raid was conducted by a team that included 25 officers from the Athens Directorate for Combating Organized Crime, indicating the seriousness of the case.
According to reports, four of the arrested individuals are from Heraklion, one is from Rethymno, and another from Chalkida. Among them is a public service official based in Heraklion. All six suspects are expected to be brought before the Heraklion prosecutor to face charges related to antiquities smuggling.
The case came to light through the efforts of private investigator George Tsoukalas, who has experience in dealing with antiquities smuggling cases. Tsoukalas characterized the smugglers as "national traitors" and emphasized the importance of the recovered artifacts. "I estimate that the findings are very important," he stated, describing them as "particularly significant," according to in.gr.
Tsoukalas commended the coordinated efforts of the police authorities in disrupting the smuggling operation. He has dealt with many antiquities smuggling cases in the past, bringing his expertise to bear in the current investigation.
Greek authorities had been working on the case since last December. There were indications that certain individuals were attempting to trade ancient objects illegally. In recent days, two individuals from Athens traveled to Crete, pretending to be buyers. They met with members of the smuggling ring, providing crucial information that led to the arrests.
The artifacts recovered include everyday objects and other statuettes, some of which are Cycladic figurines.
ERT, Greece's state broadcaster, reported on the operation.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.