nterpol,Europol,nationalpoliceforcesandcustomsofficersfoundmore
than19,000itemsofartwork.TheseincludeanancientColombiangold
maskthatisover600yearsold.TherewasalsoacarvedRomanlion,andc
enturies-oldjewelleryandancientcoins.Manyitemsthepolicerecove
redwerestolenfrommuseumsandarchaeologicalsites.Manyweretake
nfromcountriesatwar.Thethievestookculturaltreasureswhilecountri
eswerefightingcivilwarsorwarsagainstothercountries.Thepolicearre
sted101arttraffickersinSpain,Colombia,Latvia,AfghanistanandTurk
ey.Policeofficersspentalongtimecheckingonlinemarketplacestofindt
heartandthethieves.Interpolspoketojournalistsaboutthesizeoftheo
peration.Itsaid:"Thenumberofarrestsandobjectsshowsthescaleand
globalreachoftheillicittradeinculturalartefacts....Everycountrywitha
richheritageisapotentialtarget....Organisedcrimehasmanyfaces.Th
etraffickingofculturalgoodsisoneofthem.Itisnotaglamorousbusiness
runby...gentlemenforgers,butbyinternationalcriminalnetworks."
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