Trafficking

California man on trial for allegedly importing Roman mosaic looted during Syrian civil war to US

Mohamad Yassin Alcharihi is accused of misrepresenting the true value of a mosaic that was looted from Syria in 2015

Report identifies art market as a target for organised crime

Internal crime agency urges vigilance, and greater efforts on monitoring and enforcement, but industry figures say study lacks focus and hard evidence of key vulnerabilities.

In Burkina Faso and Mali, pilot scheme builds defences against illegal trafficking of cultural antiquities

Icom and Aliph’s $250,000 project is providing training and security measures for 22 museums in countries ravaged by war

Stolen Afghan manuscripts have been coming up for sale at major auction houses, according to research group

The Himaya project based in Qatar has been working with Interpol to identify artefacts trafficked to London, Paris and Amsterdam

French art dealer Didier Wormser stands trial for trafficking looted Egyptian antiquities

Owner of L’Etoile d’Ishtar gallery said artefacts from Saqqara necropolis “should be restituted to Egypt” but insists he purchased them in good faith

Lootnews

Allegedly stolen ancient Cambodian sculptures airbrushed from photoshoot of ‘most beautiful home in America’

Cambodian government says stone artefacts kept at San Francisco home of billionaire Lindemann family match those looted from sacred site

Antiquities trafficking case escalates as Louvre Abu Dhabi joins civil action and Swiss collector files criminal complaint

In wake of scandal involving former Louvre director, France's culture minister forms taskforce to assess acquisitions procedures at museums

Egyptian antiquities connected to international trafficking ring seized from Metropolitan Museum in New York

Five objects worth more than €3m have been confiscated by authorities as part of a wide-ranging global investigation involving former Louvre director Jean-Luc Martinez

Former Louvre director Jean-Luc Martinez charged in connection with antiquities trafficking investigation

Martinez has been indicted for “complicity of gang fraud and laundering“ of objects purchased by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Louvre Abu Dhabi

'Damaging and unjust' legislation linking art and antiques trade to money laundering and terrorism financing must stop, industry body says

Cinoa, the dealer association, has issued an open letter criticising recent reports that make 'false claims' linking industry to crime

Belgian cuts to art crime policing weaken ‘intelligence gathering’

Decision follows years of uncertainty around dwindling enforcement funding

The US and Nigeria sign cultural property agreement

The five-year memorandum of understanding comes at a moment when Nigeria is taking increasingly proactive measures to secure its patrimony and recover artefacts that were looted and stolen

In the battle against antiquities trafficking, Germany develops app to identify looted cultural heritage

Government-funded image-recognition software will enable law enforcers to work with international organisations

Artnews

France builds grand alliance to protect cultural heritage

Louvre director’s plan calls for co-ordinated response to destruction in Syria and Iraq

Louvre president shows solidarity with Iraq and Tunisia

Jean-Luc Martinez says attacks on cultural heritage marks "turning point" for universal museums

Museums in Europe and US draw up rescue plans for ravaged sites in Iraq

France takes the lead as calls grow for co-ordinated response after attacks by fanatics on Assyrian royal cities