(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) PARIS, Oct 26 (KUNA) -- France on Thursday handed over to Egypt eight valuable antiquities that had been seized by French Customs several years ago.
The antiquities include 3,000-year-old statuettes and tablets of high archaeological value and they had been in French custody since 2010.
The handover was carried out in a ceremony at the French Culture Ministry in the presence of ambassadors from both countries.
The Culture Ministry said in a statement that the Customs seizure had allowed for an investigation to trace the antiquities and also unmask a smuggling ring operated between Egypt and Britain, but using France as a transit destination. French Customs arrested one British national in the sting operation.
The handover coincided with a visit to France this week by Egyptian President Abdelfattah Al-Sisi, who met with French President Emmanuel Macron and other senior officials to discuss enhanced cooperation and other issues. (end) jk.hb
MENAFN2610201700710000ID1095999291
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.