[MSN] 23 historical artifacts, earlier smuggled from Turkey, were brought back from United Arab Emirates (UAE) with the efforts of Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry

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23 Historical artifacts returns Turkey
The New Anatolian / Ankara
19 July 2007

23 historical artifacts, earlier smuggled from Turkey, were brought back from United Arab Emirates (UAE) with the efforts of Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry.

Executives of the Ministry said that 23 pieces of historical artifacts, including stele, sculpture, and sarcophagus were seized in a plane heading from Turkey to Sharjah Emirate of UAE, on April 1, 2007.

"Alerted on the information that the artifacts were of Turkish origin, Culture and Tourism Ministry launched initiatives for the restitution of the artifacts that were secured in Sharjah Archeology Museum," officials said.

Three executives of the ministry brought the artifacts back to Turkey on July 10, 2007, it was announced. It is claimed that the artifacts could be unearthed in illegal excavations as they were not stolen from any of the museums in Turkey.

http://www.thenewanatolian.com/