Algeria Gendarmerie forces foil attempt to smuggle 150 antique pieces

Algerian national Gendarmerie forces learnt on Sunday that an international network working in Europe smuggle antique pieces in the province of Guelma (east of Algiers).

• A trap was organised to catch this network. A Chevrolet Avio car carrying three people with 20 coins going back to the Ancient Islamic Civilisation and 42 coins going back to the Roman era.

  Three jars of ceramic were also seized. Of them, one contains 1 kg of yellow powder, a container made of black ceramic in the form of women, 7 middle-sized statues of a Roman god, a metallic statue of a Roman woman, a metallic statue of a Roman king, two metallic statues of a Roman war leader, a white marble statue in the form of a woman representing a Roman god and a Roman metallic candle. 

  The Attorney was notified and he asked to introduce the suspects in court once the investigation is over.

  The cell in charge of fighting antiquities smuggling confiscated more than 1624 antique pieces. They were about to be smuggled to Tunisia and Morocco. Smuggling networks use the e-auctions to get antique pieces going back to more than 15 centuries ago.