Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Evgeniya Kleshcheva, Cristina Silveiro
November 14, 2025 Culture and education
Last year, more than 37,000 items of cultural value, including archaeological artifacts, works of art, coins, and musical instruments, were seized during the international operation "Pandora IX." The operation involved Europol, Interpol, and the World Customs Organization, as well as law enforcement and customs agencies from 23 countries, including Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Moldova, Serbia, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, the United States, and other countries.
In particular, according to official Interpol data, Ukrainian customs seized 87 items of historical value, including icons of St. Seraphim of Sarov and ancient coins, which were being illegally exported from the country to Poland, Moldova, and Romania.
In Spain, a gang that looted archaeological sites in the province of Cáceres was uncovered: the criminals obtained thousands of Roman coins using metal detectors and sold them on social media. In Greece, three people were arrested for attempting to sell five Byzantine icons for €70,000. These and other incidents highlight the scale of the problem and the need for international cooperation to address it.
Cultural heritage is not a commodity
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), smuggling of cultural property is one of the oldest forms of criminal activity and ranks among the most profitable forms of illicit trafficking worldwide, alongside weapons and drugs. However, unlike other forms of trafficking that are subject to complete prohibition, trafficking in cultural property itself is not prohibited.
High demand for antiquities and works of art, coupled with inadequate regulation, makes this sector extremely profitable yet low-risk—especially during times of crisis. Organized criminal networks exploit this, operating through complex schemes and profiting from both legal and underground markets.
November 14 is celebrated International Day against Illicit Trafficking of Cultural PropertyThis date was established by UNESCO to commemorate the adoption in 1970 of the Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import and Export of Cultural Property and the Illicit Transfer of Ownership. This day is intended to remind people that cultural heritage is not a commodity, but a part of human history that must be protected.
“Illicit trafficking, as well as theft and illegal transfer of cultural property, touches on issues such as cultural rights, cultural identity, our memory, as well as communities and their history,” explained Krista Pikkat, Director of the Division of Culture in Emergencies of UNESCO’s Culture Sector, in an interview with UN News Service.
Historical sites in areas of armed conflict and political instability are particularly vulnerable to smugglers. According to Pikkat, in such situations, authorities have new priorities, and archaeological excavations or museums are often left unsupervised. Smugglers are increasingly using online platforms and auctions to sell illegal finds, including items recovered from underwater archaeological sites.
Preserve artifacts for future generations
UNESCO recently condemned the theft of eight priceless cultural objects from the Louvre Museum on October 19, 2025. The organization's statement stated that such crimes "threaten the preservation, study, and transmission to future generations of precious historical artefacts," while fueling the international trade in stolen cultural property linked to money laundering, tax evasion, and even the financing of terrorism.
© E. Ganz
As noted in the statement, the illicit trafficking of cultural property knows no borders, and combating it requires long-term efforts and international coordination. For decades, UNESCO has been collaborating with Interpol, the World Customs Organization, the UNODC, the International Council of Museums, and other organizations to strengthen legal mechanisms, train museum professionals and customs officers in identifying stolen objects, and raise public awareness. Since 2023, more than 1,200 specialists from 80 countries have completed UNESCO courses, Krista Pikkat explained.
"We are also collaborating with partners like the IAEA to explore how nuclear technologies can be applied to provenance research. It's also exciting to see how new artificial intelligence technologies are providing us with new opportunities to combat illicit trafficking," the UNESCO representative added.
At the end of September, UNESCO officially launched the world's first Virtual Museum of Stolen Cultural PropertyThe museum uses 3D modeling and virtual reality technologies, allowing users worldwide to view digital replicas of stolen artifacts. The platform includes educational materials and testimonies from affected communities, as well as a section dedicated to successful examples of cultural property recovery.
"The idea behind the museum is that one day it will be empty," Pikkat noted.
She cited an example from her own experience, explaining that, being from Estonia, she decided to see which artifacts from her country were included in the collection. Pikkat was curious to learn that Estonia had proposed including several sculptures from the altar of a small village church on the island. The artifacts, created by Lübeck masters in the 16th century, are particularly valuable, she explained, due to their history, which shows that Estonia was a member of the Hanseatic League and actively traded with Germany. The UNESCO representative emphasized that the significance of such artifacts cannot always be measured in monetary terms—their true value lies in the historical, cultural, and spiritual meaning they hold for local communities and society as a whole. The Organization warns that a society deprived of its heritage loses part of its identity and the foundation for future development.
Returning the heritage to the homeland
The international legal framework and intergovernmental cooperation are increasingly making it possible to identify and repatriate cultural treasures illegally exported abroad. For example, in May 2025, Egypt reportedly received back 25 archaeological objects, including a mummy portrait from the Fayum Mound, a gold coin dating back to the time of Ptolemy I—the Greek general and successor to Alexander the Great—and jewelry dating back approximately 2,400 years. These objects were discovered in New York and returned to Egypt thanks to the coordinated efforts of the Egyptian consulate, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, and US law enforcement agencies, according to media reports. Earlier in February, dozens of ancient objects worth over €2 million were returned from New York to Greece and Italy.
According to the latest figures from the Manhattan District Attorney's Special Antiquities Squad, which investigates the illicit trade in antiquities, since its creation in late 2017, approximately 6,100 artifacts worth more than $480 million have been seized, and nearly 5,750 of them have been returned to 31 countries.
UNESCO supports countries in their efforts to identify and return stolen property.
"We organized capacity-building activities in Central Asia. The idea was to work with countries surrounding Afghanistan to prevent the illegal export of artifacts from Afghanistan. Then we heard from the Kyrgyz Republic's National Commission for UNESCO that border guards who participated in the exercises were able to identify another artifact—not Afghan," said Krista Pikkat.
Unsplash/M. Zhufé
In addition, she said, UNESCO is working on issues related to sites lost during colonial times, primarily by promoting dialogue on the topic.
Fighting criminal networks
Recent examples demonstrate that the application of international legal instruments—in particular, the 1970 UNESCO Convention and the 1995 Unidroit Convention on the Return of Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Goods—produces results. However, this is often a complex process, requiring diplomatic efforts, legal expertise, and lengthy negotiations between countries.
In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to digital solutions: electronic registries, databases, and blockchain technology, which make it possible to trace the origins of art and antiquities.
Citizens are reminded: when purchasing antiques and works of art, please request official documents of origin and avoid transactions with unknown online sellers. Suspicious items can be reported to local law enforcement agencies or directly to Interpol.
Every returned artifact is a restored link between the past and the present, a reminder that history and culture belong to us all. International Day on November 14 calls for us to remember this responsibility – and to continue the work of protecting cultural heritage, which knows no borders.
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