Authorities foil smuggling attempt of ancient Torah in Istanbul
ISTANBUL
Authorities in Istanbul have conducted an operation against antiquities smugglers, foiling an attempt to sell a 1,200-year-old Torah for $1.5 million.
Acting on two networks involved in historical artifact smuggling, authorities launched simultaneous raids at three different locations in Istanbul on Feb. 20.
Six suspects were taken into custody during coordinated raids.
Three suspects among them had allegedly been searching for buyers abroad to sell the ancient Torah, written in gold on a 2-meter-long leather scroll, believed to date back to the Roman era.
During the searches, law enforcement also uncovered a significant collection of historical artifacts, including ancient coins dating back to Ancient Greece and Byzantine periods, as well as two historic rings, one storage box and 15 other ancient objects.
The six suspects were detained for questioning and later referred to court. Following legal proceedings, they were released under judicial supervision.
