California Man Sentenced for Smuggling Ancient Roman Mosaic from Syria

The 2,000-pound artifact, depicting Hercules, was falsely declared to customs as ceramic tiles from Turkey.

Mohamad Yassin Alcharihi received a three-month prison sentence for the illegal import.
The mosaic, valued at $450,000, was hidden under vases in a shipping container.
Alcharihi paid $40,000 for the restoration of the mosaic, which was seized in 2016.
The artifact, dating back to the Roman Empire, is currently stored in Los Angeles.
The case highlights ongoing issues with the looting and smuggling of cultural heritage items.