Smuggled antique pottery handed over to Pakistan: APP

LONDON, Feb 09 (APP) ‑ The British government on Monday returned 198 pieces of antique pottery to Pakistan, said to be about 4,000 years old, which were smuggled to the UK two years ago.

The million dollar worth antique pieces were categorised as ‘ordinary pieces of pottery’ with a value of about 100 dollars when they were smuggled out of Pakistan via Dubai in 2007.

But they were seized by the UK’s Customs Department at Heathrow Airport.

Subsequently, the Pakistan High Commission in UK started negotiating with the British authorities for their return.

A handing over ceremony was held on Monday at the Pakistan High Commission where Director, UK Border Agency Tony Walker formally returned these invaluable antiques to High Commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hasan.

The artefacts were seized in 2007 by Custom officer Anil Rajput when the consignment arrived at the Heathrow and roused his suspicion on checking the papers.

The Custom officer, on realising that the pottery was not ordinary, seized the consignment which were then despatched to the British Museum for examination where the experts determined that the items were about 4000 years old and originated from South West Pakistan.

For more on this article, please click on the following link: Smuggled antique pottery handed over to Pakistan: APP