Europol announced the successful conclusion of Operation Pandora IX, which involved 23 countries and recovered roughly 38,000 cultural items while arresting 80 suspects. Under the coordination of Spain's Guardia Civil, the operation focused on combatting the international theft of cultural property, with numerous artifacts spanning various historical periods. The investigation revealed ongoing threats to cultural heritage, with significant seizures of tools for illicit excavations. Authorities are continuing their inquiries, anticipating more arrests and highlighting the scale of culture-related crimes.
Authorities also confiscated 69 metal detectors and 23 tools commonly used for illegal excavations, underlining the persistent threat of looting to cultural sites.
The Guardia Civil dismantled a criminal group involved in archaeological looting, recovering 2,500 archaeological coins minted in the Celtiberian city of Tamusia.
Europol explained that the operation was the ninth edition of Operation Pandora, which targets the trafficking of cultural goods and was set up in 2016.
A passenger from Palma de Mallorca to Germany was found carrying 55 ancient coins and a ring, leading to an indictment for plundering archaeological sites.
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