Babylon Police Command announced today the arrest of an antiquities smuggling gang in their possession of 24 antiquities in the province.

The Command stated in a statement that “the detachments of the Organized Crime Directorate, with the support of SWAT forces, were able to arrest an antiquities smuggling gang consisting of 3 people in their possession of 23 ancient coins and a small circular artifact during a qualitative operation in Jableh District, north of the province.”

It added that “the operation was carried out based on accurate intelligence information and in cooperation with the judiciary.”

It continued, “The necessary legal measures were taken against the accused and their arrest,” noting that “the seized antiquities were sent to the Antiquities and Heritage Inspectorate to examine them and determine their archaeological value and the time period to which they belong.”

Source: National Iraqi News Agency