U.S. Returns Looting Artifacts to Cambodia and Indonesia

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced the repatriation of 30 valuable antiquities as part of a broader crackdown on illegal trafficking networks.

• 30 antiquities valued at $3 million were returned to Cambodia and Indonesia, including significant pieces like the 'Shiva Triad' and a Majapahit empire bas-relief.
• Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg highlighted ongoing efforts against networks trafficking Southeast Asian antiquities, with recent seizures from major institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
• Art dealers Subhash Kapoor and Nancy Wiener were implicated in the trafficking, with Kapoor serving a prison sentence in India for related charges.
• The repatriation ceremonies were marked by statements from representatives of Cambodia and Indonesia, celebrating the return as a significant cultural milestone.
• New York identified as a major hub for the trafficking of looted artifacts, with the local Antiquities Trafficking Unit recovering over 1,200 items worth more than $250 million.

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