Italy seizes more than 5,000 looted antiquities in record haul

The Italian government said police had seized more than 5,000 ancient artefacts in a record $52 million haul after dismantling a Swiss-Italian trafficking ring. Culture Minister Dario Franceschini said it was the country’s “largest discovery yet” of looted works and consisted of 5,361 pieces, including vases, jewellery, frescoes and bronze statues, all dating from the 8th century BC to the 3rd century AD. The archaeological treasures came from illegal digs across Italy and “will be returned to where they were found”, the minister told reporters. Police said the items were sold across the world with forged certificates of authenticity. The hoard was discovered as part of an investigation into Italian art dealer Gianfranco Becchina, who owns an art gallery in Switzerland, and his Swiss wife.