Over 820 artifacts recovered from smugglers in Turkey

By Nurten Aslan, Esber Ayaydin, Muharrem Cin, and Sitki Yildiz

DIYARBAKIR/SANLIURFA/KUTAHYA/YALOVA, Turkey (AA) – Over 820 historical artifacts were recovered in operations across Turkey, authorities said on Friday.

Gendarmerie teams caught four suspects in the southeastern Diyarbakir province’s Silvan district who were trying to sell 416 silver coins from the Islamic, Ottoman, and Roman eras, the provincial governorship said in a statement.

The recovered items were handed over to local museums and an investigation has been launched, it added.

In the southeastern Sanliurfa province, 243 artifacts belonging to the Hellenistic and Roman periods were seized in an operation by gendarmerie and anti-smuggling units, a source said.

Three suspects were arrested in the operation, according to the source, who requested anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

In Kutahya province, 101 artifacts, including sculptures, coins, and rings believed to be dating back to the Roman period, were recovered.

Two suspects were also arrested in the operation in the western province’s Altintas district.

In the northwestern Yalova province’s Altinova district, two suspects were apprehended with 63 artifacts, including coins and a ring from the Roman era.