TEHRAN – Iranian police have recovered 32 relics from armed smugglers in Tehran. The objects have been estimated to date from the 2nd millennium BC to the early Islamic era.

Hassan Mehri, a police commander in charge of protecting cultural heritage, stated that 32 historical artifacts dating back to the first and second millennia BC and the Islamic era were discovered and confiscated from armed smugglers in Tehran.

"Following an intelligence operation regarding the buying and selling of antique objects in the Yousefabad neighborhood of Tehran, after verifying the needed information, the matter immediately became a priority for the Protection Unit," IRNA quoted the commander as saying on Monday.

He added: Protection unit officers, forming a skilled team and in coordination with judicial authorities, visited the specified location and during the inspection of smugglers, discovered and seized the artifacts, which included necklaces, earrings, seals, etc., made of gold, silver, and engraved metal, and 14 counterfeit items.

According to the opinions of cultural heritage experts, the discovered items are estimated to belong to the first and second millennia BC and the Islamic era. In this regard, three suspects along with a handgun, eight military rifles, and two switchblade knives were arrested and handed over for further legal proceedings to the provincial judicial authorities, Mehri said.

He added that it is essential to take significant steps towards preventing cultural heritage crimes through accurate information and public awareness campaigns.

AFM