US Authorities Seize 14 Egyptian Antiquities En route to Collectors

Federal authorities have recovered more than a dozen Egyptian antiquities that were illegally smuggled into the United States and were destined for collectors, including a funerary statue worth approximately $6 million.

According to a Department of Justice statement published by USA Today, the smuggled items included vases, amulets, and stone statues that were misleadingly or inaccurately labeled on shipping papers as "home decor," "garden stone statue," or other terms that did not reflect the true origin or actual value of the artifacts.

"The deceptive methods used to smuggle these treasures into the United States not only violate import laws but also undermine efforts to preserve and protect cultural history," said Evan Campanella, acting special agent with the Homeland Security Investigations Division in Baltimore.

The Department of Justice stated that 14 items were seized pursuant to a virtual injunction issued by the U.S. District Court in Maryland, as part of ongoing efforts to identify and dismantle illegal networks exploiting global trade routes. Authorities explained that the funerary statue, believed to be of Old Kingdom limestone, likely came from an archaeological site in Saqqara or Giza, both of which house royal tombs near the ancient city of Memphis in Egypt.

The seizures occurred between August 2020 and April 2021 at airports in New York, Cincinnati, and Anchorage, Alaska. Customs and Border Protection officers discovered the artifacts while inspecting packages from overseas shippers to collectors, including one in Edgewater, Maryland.