Eurojust has supported Italian authorities with the return of over 2 500 precious ancient coins, vases and small sculptures that had been illegally excavated and later sold in Switzerland.
Last Friday afternoon, the treasures from the ancient city of Cales, dating from the third century BC and the eight century DC, were officially presented in the National Archaeological Museum of Santa Maria Capua Vetere.
Eurojust helped Italian authorities carry out searches in Switzerland and collect data on bank accounts and transfers in Belgium and the Netherlands, as well as information on online auction houses. A total of 43 suspects were indicted, four of whom were initially taken into custody. They were suspected of art fraud, including illegal excavations, sales through auction houses and the provision of fake certificates of authenticity. The value of the returned artefacts is estimated at around EUR 2 million.
The investigations were launched in 2022 by the Public Prosecutor’s Office (PPO) of Santa Maria Capua Vetere and the special Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of the Carabinieri. Their findings showed that archaeological treasures from the ancient Roman colony of Cales were being put up for sale by Swiss auction houses. The investigations also proved that the ancient coins and pottery had been excavated without permission.
The PPO of Santa Maria Capua Vetere subsequently contacted Eurojust to establish cooperation with Swiss law enforcement authorities to organise searches and the seizure of the artefacts. The Agency assisted with the execution of European Investigation Orders to Belgium and the Netherlands, and requests for Mutual Legal Assistance to Switzerland.
A total of approximately 2 000 coins lacking an official certificate of provenance were found, as well as over 500 precious vases, sculptures and other pieces of ancient pottery. Dozens of metal detectors and various technical equipment for illegal excavations were also found. All the antiquities have been formally confiscated and returned as official Italian state property.
A special exhibition of the returned heritage was opened Friday in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale dell’Antica Capua. The artefacts will remain the property of the museum. Representatives of Eurojust attended the opening of the exhibition.
Anna Melnykova, "Palace of Labor (palats praci), architector I. Pretro, 1916", shot with analog Canon camera, 35 mm Fuji film in March 2022.
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