D.A.'s Office Seizes 29 Looted Greek Antiquities, Some from Met Museum

Twenty-nine illegally trafficked past artifacts, including 18 items that had ended up successful the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, were officially returned to Greece successful a ceremonial astatine the Greek consulate successful New York this week.

The priceless objects, which scope from the Neolithic play to the Hellenistic era, were recovered by the Antiquities Trafficking Unit of the New York District Attorney’s Office, led by Col. Matthew Bogdanos.

Nearly each of the items were confiscated from the Fortuna Fine Arts dealership successful New York.

"Every repatriation of Greek antiquities is an highly important event," Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni said successful a statement, praising the D.A.'s office.

"Greece is present internationally recognized arsenic a state that has placed the combat against the amerciable trafficking of taste goods… precocious connected its governmental agenda."

The handover ceremonial was attended by Greek consulate officials and marks the latest successful a bid of palmy repatriations.

Mr. Bogdanos, who is of Greek descent, said his portion has recovered much than 160 invaluable artifacts for Greece implicit the past 20 years, valued astatine much than $45 million.