Ankara, Aug 10 (IANS): Turkish authorities have detained 76 suspects and seized 4,122 historical artefacts in large-scale anti-smuggling operations conducted in the country and abroad, local media reported on Tuesday.
According to the state-run TRT broadcaster, simultaneous operations have been carried out at 108 addresses in 30 provinces across Turkey to capture 92 suspected smugglers, including collectors, reports Xinhua news agency.
It said so far 76 of them have been detained.
As part of the operations, dubbed Anatolia, 4,122 historical artefacts have been seized in four separate raids carried out at several addresses in Turkey, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Serbia, TRT added.
The operations were initiated after Turkish prosecutors reportedly determined that an organised crime organisation illegally transferred historical artefacts from Turkey to be sold in auctions in the US and Europe.