Israeli law enforcement agencies conducted a search at the home of a suspect involved in the illegal trafficking of antiquities in the West Bank. As a result of the operation carried out on July 28, a unique historical and archaeological heritage was uncovered.
Operation Details and Findings
During the search, law enforcement officers discovered and confiscated several thousand historical artifacts believed to have been obtained illegally. Among the seized valuable items, the following hold a special place:
Numerous ancient coins spanning various historical periods
Rare archaeological objects of various purposes
Israeli Police: Intensive investigative measures are ongoing to determine the exact origin of the seized artifacts and to identify other participants in the illegal trafficking network.
Legislative Requirements
Israeli legislation establishes extremely strict rules for the protection of historical and cultural heritage:
Unlicensed trade is prohibited: The buying and selling of historical and archaeological items without official permission from relevant state authorities entails direct criminal liability.
Restriction on the use of metal detectors: Searching for and extracting archaeological objects from the ground using a metal detector without a special license is strictly prohibited by law.
Source: jpost.com
