Authorities bust antiquities smuggling ring

Police officers from the Cultural Heritage and Antiquities Department have apprehended three men, aged 54, 69 and 52, for suspected antiquities smuggling. The charges against the trio include establishing a criminal organization and violating laws pertaining to antiquities and possession of weapons.

The arrests occurred last week following an undercover police operation, where an officer posed as a mediator for a potential buyer. Initially, the 54-year-old provided photographs of antiquities for sale, and an agreement was reached to sell three items for 5,000 euros each. They arranged to meet last Thursday morning at the Megara Rest Area near Corinth, where they were apprehended.

During physical and on-site investigations, among other items, a rare gold coin, a Stater of Ptolemy I of Egypt from the 4th century BC with a diameter of 18 millimeters, and a torso of a...