In October 2024, customs police in Spain discovered over 1,000 ancient artifacts when inspecting a woman's luggage, initially containing coins and a ring belonging to her late husband. This led to charges against the couple's daughter for plundering underwater sites. The incident is part of Interpol's Operation Pandora IX, aimed at combating the trafficking of cultural items, which has seen a sharp rise in seizures and arrests since the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating a growing problem in organized crime networks capitalizing on this illicit trade.
"Our latest operation, dubbed Operation Pandora IX, highlighted the alarming increase in the illicit trafficking of cultural artifacts, with a significant growth in arrests and seizures."
"Samuel Heath highlighted that organized crime networks have seen a 'massive watershed moment' since the pandemic, redefining their operations and enhancing distribution channels.”
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