‘Like they almost took an MBA during covid’: Crime gangs go pro as cops seize 37,700 ancient artifacts in massive global bust

International law enforcement agencies have arrested 80 people and seized more than 37,700 cultural artifacts in a massive global operation targeting the illegal trafficking of ancient items. The coordinated effort, known as Interpol’s Operation Pandora IX, involved authorities from 23 countries including the United States and represents a significant escalation in the fight against organized cultural crime networks.

According to The Washington Post, the seized items include paintings, Roman coins, ceramics, ancient weapons, and jewelry spanning thousands of years of history. Among the most significant discoveries were artifacts dating back to the Talayotic culture from 1600 to 123 BC, recovered after Spanish customs officials stopped a woman traveling from Mallorca to Germany with suspicious items in her luggage. This routine inspection ultimately led to the discovery of more than 1,000 priceless objects.

The operation’s success reflects a troubling evolution in organized crime, with criminal networks becoming increasingly sophisticated and professional in their approach to cultural trafficking. Interpol spokesman Samuel Heath described how these groups underwent a transformation during the coronavirus pandemic, explaining that criminals innovated and evolved at an unprecedented rate, possibly driven by travel restrictions and increased online activity.

Criminal networks evolve into highly organized operations during pandemic

The pandemic served as a catalyst for criminal organizations to restructure and expand their operations in ways law enforcement had not previously encountered. These groups developed new distribution networks and began coordinating across borders with unprecedented cooperation, even among organizations that historically would not work together. The professionalization of these networks has extended to subcontracting specialized services such as money laundering.

Spanish authorities disrupted one such network operating in Cáceres province near the Portuguese border, where criminals were systematically looting archaeological sites using metal detectors. Police seized more than 2,000 items, primarily Roman coins minted in the ancient Celtiberian city of Tamusia, which the group was selling illegally through social media platforms. Six arrests were made with three additional individuals placed under investigation.

Italian investigations yielded significant results, including the seizure of a painting fraudulently attributed to renowned artist Jannis Kounellis that would have been valued at approximately $113,000 if authentic. A separate Italian operation recovered more than 300 items including ancient coins, metals, and Roman-era weapons discovered in a private apartment and being offered for sale online. Greek authorities used undercover operations to recover five byzantine icons being sold for nearly $80,000, resulting in three arrests. Ukrainian law enforcement seized nearly 90 items including coins, books, and spoons that were being illegally transported out of the war-torn country toward Poland, Moldova, and Romania.

The scale of this year’s operation represents a dramatic increase from previous years, when authorities typically seized between 6,400 and 11,000 items annually. According to Interpol, the current figures mark the highest seizure numbers since 2021, when over 56,400 artifacts were recovered including a single haul of 27,300 items by French customs. Authorities also confiscated 69 metal detectors and 23 specialized excavation tools used in illegal archaeological activities. The cultural crime phenomenon poses risks beyond the loss of historical artifacts, contributing to violence, corruption, and fraud while disrupting legitimate archaeological and historical research efforts.