Artifacts from Ottoman era seized in packages from Ethiopia

CAIRO – 18 June 2017: An attempt to smuggle copies of the Quran and artifacts dating back to the Ottoman era inside three packages coming from Ethiopia was foiled by the Post Customs Police at the Cairo International Airport Cargo Village on Saturday, according to sources at the airport.

The sources added that the seized objects are five handwritten copies of the Quran, water container and six handles for either swords or daggers. After they were inspected by the Antiquities Committee at the Airport, it was confirmed that they fall under the Antiquities Law No. 117 of 1983 and they were confiscated for the Ministry of Antiquities.

Since the outbreak of the January 25 Revolution in 2011 and the subsequent security lapse across Egypt, the Tourism and Antiquities Police, in coordination with Cairo Airport authorities, have thwarted several smuggling attempts of ancient Egyptian antiquities out of the country.