Bulgarian Customs Prevent Smuggling of Ancient Coins, Artifacts into England

Bulgarian customs authorities have prevented the smuggling of thousands of ancient coins and archaeological artifacts from Bulgaria into England, the National Customs Agency in Sofia said on Monday.

Figurines made from metal and clay, coins and fragments of agricultural tools were discovered stashed in cardboard boxes inside a minibus registered in Silistra, in northeastern Bulgaria, the customs agency said in a news release.

When customs officers in Ruse, on the border with Romania, started an inspection of the minibus, the driver told them that the outbound vehicle carried the luggage of the passengers plus four unaccompanied cardboard boxes which an unknown sender had asked him to deliver to a recipient in London, according to the customs agency.

Some of the items carried labels with description in Bulgarian language and price tags in British pounds.

Prosecuting authorities in Ruse have opened a criminal investigation.