Security Services Arrest 11 People Over Smuggling Algerian Antiquities

Regional group of Algiers Gendarmerie Research Platoon dismantled a national cell of smuggling and illegal trading of rare antiques, arrested 11 people and seized a considerable amount of the rare antiquities with four vehicles that were used in smuggling.

Details of the case date back to the reception of certain information by the research platoon about the activity of a national cell in smuggling and illegal trading of rare antiques on the axis of Algiers, Djelfa and Bejaia.

On this basis and in exploitation of the available information, the elements of the research platoon were able to arrest this cell, as inquiries led to the arrest of 11 people (28 to 40), and several archaeological metal and money pieces of different sizes, shapes, and two Ivory pieces, in addition to mercury (red mercury and gray) were seized, aoing with the metal detector machine, and 4 vehicles that were used by the cell in the smuggling of seized materials through the different axes of Algiers, Bejaia and Djelfa.

Arrested smugglers were brought, on Sunday, in front of the public prosecutor in Cheraga Court, where he ordered temporary confinement on charges of forming a criminal group, trade and possession of archaeological properties, and the possession and smuggling of foreign goods, while the Dean of investigating judges of the same court ordered the security services to continue the investigation into the case to reveal all parties that are involved in the smuggling of antiquities that belong to the Algerian state.