In the Republic of Macedonia, in an action named “Phalanga”, police has seized a great number of antiquities destined to be sold illegally or smuggled abroad (Greece, Italy, Austria, with the obvious final destination being the auction houses in Western Europe and the US). The antique objects seized came from illegal digs. Media reports talk of 48 people being under preliminary interrogation by the police and that 28 (according to some reports 23) arrested. Some of the persons involved were high-ranking officials, although no names have yet been released. The reports speak of municipal counsellors, museum directors, well-known businessmen and even police officers. This is the biggest action of this kind in the country and the authorities say that there are enough items to fill a museum. The objects date from the Iron Age, up to the 19th century. Among the items, there are bronze figurines of a Pegasus, of a Menade, of a small child holding a cup, a marble phallus, a large number of coins (according to some authorities about 3000 and most of them dating from roman period) and several Byzantine icons. In a private house a headless roman statue and several Byzantine capitals were found.
Sources:
A1 television (internet site):
- 28.06.2010 (Video)
Dnevnik:
- 24.06.2010
Utrinski Vesnik:
- 26.06.2010
- 28.06.2010
