[MSN] FBI busts artifact smuggling ring

[Museum Security Network Mailinglist]

Posted on Tue, Jul. 25, 2006

FBI busts artifact smuggling ring

BY STEPHANIE GARRY
sgarry at MiamiHerald.com
Four people carried about 60 ancient artifacts from Ecuador into a gated
house in Coconut Grove last week. With the pieces spread out in the living
room, one of them -- an undercover FBI agent -- placed a call, saying he
wanted a museum curator's opinion before finalizing the $2 million deal.

But the vehicle instead carried about a dozen FBI agents, who swarmed the
house, arrested the other three people and carefully wrapped up the jewelry,
statues and pottery, which was the property of the Ecuadorean government.

''It's important not just for Ecuador, but for our entire society to keep
them in museums where they belong,'' said Alicia Valle, spokeswoman for the
U.S. attorney's office in Miami.

Prosecutors charged Edgar Nakache, 49, Cecilia Marcillo-Aviles, 71, and her
daughter, Susan Aviles, 46, with the illegal importation of pre-Columbian
artifacts. Under Ecuadorean law, artifacts are the property of the
government, and U.S. law forbids selling stolen artifacts.

The FBI had been pursuing the three defendants since February, according to
an affidavit by agent Amanda Moran. That's when authorities said Nakache
offered to sell the collection -- totaling 600 artifacts, some estimated to
be 4,000 years old -- to French museum officials, who contacted the police.
The tip bounced from France to Ecuador and finally to Miami, where agents
suspected the sellers might be.

In April, an undercover agent and Moran met with Nakache and Marcillo-Aviles
at her daughter's house at 31 SW 30th Rd. Moran, posing as an interested
buyer, took photos that the FBI later used.

During the discussions, the suspects said they knew selling the artifacts
was illegal, according to the FBI. Marcillo-Aviles also said her husband was
an archaeologist who had collected the pieces over the last 40 years, and
she wanted the money for her children. At one point, the suspects repeatedly
asked if the undercover agent was from Interpol, the world's largest police
organization.

After the deal was set, Aviles e-mailed the agent a bank account number
where the payment was supposed to be sent. When the undercover agent arrived
at Aviles' residence on Thursday, he saw about 100 artifacts -- another 60
or so were at Brickell Xtra Storage, 601 SW Eighth St. After bringing them
back, the agent made the call.

The defendants appeared in court Friday, and U.S. Magistrate Judge William
C. Turnoff granted them bail. The mother and daughter were released, but
Nakache had not posted bond on Monday.

On Monday, Marcillo-Aviles said she wanted to comment only after speaking
with her daughter.

The location of the other pieces was not known, the FBI said.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/15114371.htm