US Returns 1,400 Looted Artifacts Worth $10M to India
US Returns 1,400 Looted Artifacts Worth $10M to India
US Returns 1,400 Looted Artifacts Worth $10M to India
The United States has given back more than 1,400 looted artifacts valued at $10 million to India as part of an effort to return stolen art from South and Southeast Asia. These artifacts, including pieces previously on display at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, were recently returned, as reported by CNN. One of the items is a sandstone sculpture of a celestial dancer that was illegally taken from central India to London before being sold to a patron of the museum.
According to the Manhattan District Attorney's office, these artifacts were recovered as a result of investigations into criminal networks involved in the trafficking of art run by convicted art dealers Subhash Kapoor and Nancy Wiener. Kapoor, a former antiquities dealer in New York, is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence in India for organizing a large-scale looting operation. Although he has been convicted of trafficking antiquities in India, his extradition to the United States is still pending.
During a ceremony at the Indian consulate in New York, the artifacts were officially handed over to India. William S. Walker, the New York Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, described this repatriation as a success in an extensive international investigation into one of the most prolific offenders in history. In July, India and the United States entered into their first-ever "Cultural Property Agreement" aimed at combatting the illegal trafficking of antiquities. This agreement, signed by India’s Ministry of Culture Secretary Govind Mohan and U.S. Ambassador Eric Garcetti, reflects the ongoing collaborative efforts to safeguard cultural heritage.
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