Illicit trafficking of archaeological finds: 32 suspects and 4 arrests in the blitz of the Carabinieri TPC of Bari

In the early hours of December 4, 2024, the Carabinieri of the Cultural Heritage Protection Unit of Bari carried out operations in various locations of Puglia and Lazio, with the collaboration of the territorially competent force, an enforcement order of personal precautionary measures issued by the GIP of the Court of Bari at the request of the Public Prosecutor's Office at the Court of Bari, against 4 subjects held responsible in various capacities for criminal association aimed at receiving stolen goods and illicit export of archaeological and numismatic finds.

The order arises from a vast and detailed investigation, conventionally called "Art Sharing”, started in 2020 from the TPC Nucleus of Bari, which led to the dismantling of a criminal association dedicated to clandestine excavation, operated by expert tomb raiders and burglars, to the illicit possession and theft of cultural assets belonging to the State's unavailable assets, to the consequent stolen through a stable illicit supply channel and a consolidated logistics network aimed at concealment, determining the value, preparing accompanying documentation for the attribution of an apparent lawful origin of the goods, as well as transport by suitable means (specially prepared vehicles and professional couriers) and strategic communications aimed at evading possible investigations (telematic channels instead of telephone ones, use of cryptic language and false personal identities), in addition to the subsequent Illicit exit and export from Italian territory, being able to count on the stable availability to purchase by individuals, including foreigners, involved in various capacities in the receiving chain.

In particular, the entire illicit traffic of archaeological finds was managed through a phantom auction house called "COSTA'S GALLERY”, with headquarters in Antwerp (Belgium), attributable to two of the subjects affected by the precautionary measure, which offered the sale of mainly Apulian and Etruscan goods, illegally stolen from archaeological areas in central and southern Italy, to galleries and auction houses in various European and American countries.

The flourishing commercial network created, in procuring a huge profit for the organization, has caused a significant damage to the national cultural and archaeological heritage, with the dispersion of historical evidence that is now irretrievable.

The investigation, also developed on an international level, was supported by technical, dynamic and telematic activities, allowing to identify the entire chain typical of the classic organizational structure dedicated to the international traffic of archaeological goods. In fact, the aggravating circumstance of the transnationalityThe association had operational bases in the provinces of Bari, BAT and Foggia and with branches in Lazio, Emilia Romagna, the Republic of San Marino, as well as in Belgium and Spain.

Of significant importance for the development of the investigation abroad was the synergic action carried out by the Bari Judiciary with those of the foreign countries involved which, thanks to the coordination of Eurojust, allowed – in implementation of several European Investigation Orders (EIO) – the carrying out of investigative activities in Belgium, Germany, Spain and Austria, with the execution of searches that led to the discovery and subsequent seizure of precious historical-archaeological testimonies of the Italian heritage. In the foreign context, moreover, three International Rogatory Letters were executed (two in Switzerland and one in the Republic of San Marino), also concluded with the identification of assets attributable to the cultural heritage of the Italian State.

During the investigations, searches were carried out abroad, with the collaboration of the Spanish Guardia Civil, the Belgian Federal Police and the Swiss Federal Police, Granada, Valencia, Brussels and Lugano, which allowed the seizure of important archaeological finds purchased from the "non-existent" auction house, which sent the precious artefacts using the shipping logistics network created for the illicit purpose.

Among Recovered objects (About three hundred) there are ceramic vases with decorations (in particular two red-figure Hydria, three black-glazed Kylix, two red-figure Lekanis, a trilobate-mouthed Oinochoe), over two hundred silver and bronze coins from various eras, many minted by mints of ancient Puglia (partly still affected by earthy encrustations), bronze rings and pendants, various metal detectors and excavation equipment, false attestations of provenance of finds and computer equipment used for negotiations and commercial transactions.

Among them, a exceptional marble sarcophagus dating back to the Roman imperial era found in Belgium and fifteen Etruscan sculptures found in Spain, together with others ceramic finds dating back to the 5th-3rd century BC of Italian origin.

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