Standart News

The latest operative data of the Chief Directorate for Organized Crime Combat with the Interior Ministry show that the illegal traffic of antiques through Bulgaria has become more intense. Unique art objects and archaeological finds are smuggled through Bulgaria through long-used drug traffic channels. Most often, the antiques are smuggled into Bulgaria by trucks. The fake documents usually state that the trucks are carrying terracotta tiles. Sometimes, the documents say that the antiques are replicas or that they cost several times less than their real price. The police say that Bulgaria's "antiques road" is only one of the channels, through which valuable objects representing the rich Roman cultural heritage in North Africa are smuggled to the West; another part comes from Iran, Iraq and Turkey, the police say. Over the past three or four years, international antique dealers focused their interest on these countries.
Antiques, discovered in Asia and Africa are trafficked to the West with fake documents, stating that these objects belong to a private person, they are inherited or belong to somebody's private collection. Alarmingly, these documents are often taken for real, policemen from the anti-mafia squad say.
The USA, Italy and Greece already demand a certificate of origin for all antiques that cross their borders and now the British Government prepares to follow suit.
Treasure hunters illegally export many antique objects from Bulgaria. The police busted three such channels over the past two years alone. On Easter Eve, the police carried out a coordinated operation against black archaeologists in nine towns and cities across the country.
The police say that there are about 200,000 treasure hunters in Bulgaria, working in over 300 organized groups. Each of these groups makes one or two million levs a year.
Western experts say Bulgaria is the third largest supplier of antiques in Europe.
Bozhidar Dimitrov