"Cyber Patrols Lead to Seizure of Stolen Artifacts"

According to Europol, European police have arrested scores of suspects and seized thousands of stolen artifacts after a joint physical and cyber operation last year. Operation Pandora VII involved police from Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.  The aim was to crack down on a thriving international trade in stolen art. Led by Spain’s Guardia Civil and backed by Europol and Interpol, officers across the region arrested 60 people and recovered 11,049 stolen artifacts. A large part of the operation was carried out online, where ancient artifacts are often traded. Europol stated that during two “cyber patrol” weeks in May and October last year, officers ran 8495 checks and seized 4017 stolen goods. Some of the artifacts included 77 ancient books, which the Italian Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage (Arma dei Carabinieri) seized from an online marketplace. The books were originally stolen from the archives of a monastery. The liberated artifacts also included 3073 ancient coins from an online sales platform by the Polish Police Service. Europol explained that as part of the operation, pan-regional police also carried out thousands of checks at airports, ports, border crossing points, and in auction houses, museums, and private houses. Some of the recovered artifacts had been stolen in robberies of churches in northern Portugal over a decade-long period. Europol said that 130 investigations are ongoing, which means more seizures and arrests are expected.

Infosecurity reports: "Cyber Patrols Lead to Seizure of Stolen Artifacts"