Egyptian authorities thwart attempt to smuggle thousands of ancient artifacts out of the country

SadaNews - Egyptian authorities in Nuweiba thwarted on Tuesday an attempt to smuggle thousands of artifacts and coins from ancient Egyptian civilization out of the country, in one of the largest preemptive security strikes to protect Egyptian heritage in 2025.

The Customs Security Management at Nuweiba Port received a suspicious note regarding a truck heading out of the country. The truck, driven by a foreign national, was stopped, and upon searching it, authorities found 6 large rolls professionally hidden in a secret compartment beneath the driver’s cabin.

Upon examining the truck’s cargo, 2,189 artifacts of various sizes and colors from multiple eras were seized.

Statues, amulets, and coins

When the seized items were presented to an expert committee from the Antiquities Protection Unit in South Sinai, they reported that the contents include amulets and statues of ancient Egyptian gods, the most notable being "Hathor" and "Horus", the ankh symbol of life, as well as rare Pharaonic jewelry such as rings, brooches, and earrings, alongside coins from various eras and ancient cosmetics tools like kohl applicators and grinding stones.

Additionally, pieces made of alabaster, pottery, wood, and bronze were found. The committee confirmed that the artifacts date back to different periods of Egyptian history, including ancient Egyptian times, the Middle Kingdom, the Late Period, the Greek and Roman eras, and even the modern Islamic era.

The committee estimated the archaeological value of the seized items to be approximately 3.578 billion Egyptian pounds. They recommended that the seized artifacts be confiscated for the benefit of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, in preparation for depositing them in a national museum due to their significant archaeological and historical value.

In addition, an official report of the incident was created, and the accused along with the seized items were referred to the Public Prosecution to initiate investigations.