Greece closes net on antiquities smuggling
CBC.ca
The Greek government has announced new measures to combat the international trade in stolen and fake antiques. Culture Minister Giorgos Voulgarakis announced Monday his government will be introducing legislation to help police combat what he calls "one of the most lucrative criminal activities in the world."
Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, right, and National Archaeological Museum director Nikolaos Kaltsas, look at a gold wreath returned to Greece by the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles in March. (Petros Giannakouris/Associated Press)
Some of the measures include the creation of a special department within the ministry to be responsible for tracing stolen items and repatriating them, and allowing phone taps on suspects and prison terms for those who make fake antiquities. The move comes after the Greek government secured the return of four ancient works from the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles.
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