Suspect arrested in Babil for possessing four ancient artifacts

BABIL — Security forces in northern Babil arrested a Baghdad resident in possession of four ancient artifacts after an intelligence-led operation in the district of Askandaria, police said.

In a statement, Babil Police Command said a joint force from the Organized Crime Office, the Intelligence and Counter-Terrorism Division, and the local police carried out the arrest.

The suspect was apprehended after being lured to the old quarter of Askandaria, the statement said. Authorities recovered two small statues and two ancient coins from his possession.

Police Commander Ali Kamil Al-Hasnawi said, “We will not tolerate anyone who tries to tamper with cultural heritage or trade in antiquities, as they represent the identity and history of our beloved country.”

He added, “The joint efforts and high coordination between police and intelligence branches resulted in this precise operation, and we will continue pursuing anyone who attempts illegal trading.”

Police said the suspect was referred to the judiciary to complete legal procedures.

Following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, more than 15,000 items were looted from the National Museum in Baghdad, including priceless Mesopotamian artifacts. In recent years, the government has stepped up efforts to recover stolen heritage. In 2021, Iraq secured the return of roughly 17,000 looted items from the United States—marking the country’s largest-ever repatriation of antiquities. Many of those tablets date back more than 4,000 years and contain early Sumerian writing.

In July, a criminal court in Baghdad sentenced a man to two years in prison for attempting to sell an ancient Mesopotamian artifact, part of a broader effort to curb antiquities trafficking.