[MSN] Algeria is stepping up efforts to curb the theft of its archaeological treasures. The police plans to recruit archaeology graduates and curb the illegal trade of stolen items.

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Published on Magharebia‎ (http://www.magharebia.com) ‎
Algeria to protect archaeological heritage from looting

28/01/2007

    Algeria is stepping up efforts to curb the theft of its archaeological
treasures. The police plans to recruit archaeology graduates and curb the
illegal trade of stolen items. 

By Lyes Aflou for Magharebia in Algiers—28/01/07

[Lyes Aflou] One of the pieces found during the arrests.

Algerian authorities are taking measures to curb the theft and illegal trade
of highly prized archaeological artefacts.

In the second week of January, police in the wilaya of Algiers arrested
three people caught in possession of 98 archaeological artefacts stolen from
the Djebrine Museum in the Tassili National Park in the wilaya of IIlizi.
The stolen items included cleavers, scrapers, leaf points, arrowheads and
blades, some of which are over a million years old. These historic artefacts
are classified by UNESCO as human heritage, but are being sold to foreign
agents abroad.

The trafficking and forgery of works of art and archaeological artefacts are
among the forms of organised crime which the Algerian authorities have
decided to crack down on.

According to the police force information office, in 2005, Algerian police
seized 444 archaeological artefacts, including statues and vases, and 111
coins which people were trying to sell in Tunisia. In November of last year,
a gang was apprehended trying to smuggle canvases of Spanish paintings at
the western border. Three out of seven items, including a bust of Picasso,
were recovered in Medrissa in the wilaya of Tiaret -- the others were sold
in the capital. The police was able to identify the buyers, who will have to
return them or face prosecution for receipt of stolen goods.

Police officers have made around 30 arrests in the last year. Four people
are currently in custody awaiting trial and another four have been placed
under restrictions.

Four regional police units have been set up in Oran, Constantine, Ouargla
and Tamanrasset to track down people involved in this illegal trade. The
units make inventories of archaeological sites and carry out aerial
surveillance. In the future, the police plan to step up these efforts by
recruiting students from institutes of archaeology.

Particular importance is being placed on making checks at airports and
borders. A special squad to tackle the theft and illegal trade of cultural
items and works of art -- a special department under the control of the
National Office for the Prevention of Organised Crime that was originally
created in 1996 -- has been brought back into operation and its resources
boosted.

Last July, the squad arrested a craftsman in Khenchela who was illegally
selling archaeological artefacts and works of art including coins from
various periods, Neolithic flint arrowheads valued at $63,000 each, a
sculpted marble column and fragments of pottery.