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Manhattan District Attorneys have returned to Pakistan more than 190 artifacts worth a total of $3.4 million, most of which were confiscated during an investigation into art dealer Subhash Kapoor.
In a November 10 press release, DA Alvin L Bragg said: “Subhash Kapoor is one of the most prolific antiquities dealers in the world, but thanks to the work of our dedicated investigators and analysts, we have been able to recover the We will continue to hold Mr Kapoor and his co-conspirators fully accountable for their blatant disregard for the cultural and historical significance of these artefacts.”
As many as 192 artifacts were returned to Pakistan. Of these, 187 were confiscated as part of the investigation into Kapoor, while the rest were discovered in other ongoing criminal investigations. Aisha Ali, Consul General of Pakistan in New York, and Thomas Akossela, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of US Homeland Security Investigations, attended the return ceremony of the returned artifacts.
Returned items include a looted Gandhara statue from Pakistan showing Maitreya, or the enlightened form of Buddha, and Mehrgarh dolls dating from 3500 to 2600 BC, which were recovered from Pakistan’s Neolithic Archaeological sites were stolen and brought to New York County.
In November 2022, a special court in Kumbakonam found Kapoor and his associates guilty of receiving and dealing in stolen Indian antiquities and conspiring to sell them. The US also issued a warrant for Kapoor’s arrest in 2012 and requested his extradition from India in 2020.
The DA’s office has returned 876 artifacts worth more than $89 million to 15 countries this year. Since its inception, the antiquities smuggling unit has returned some 2,300 artifacts worth more than $200 million to 22 countries.
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