Turkiye Seizes 2,000-year-old Zeus Head, Over 7,100 Artefacts

ISTANBUL, Oct 21 (NNN-Xinhua) -- Turkish authorities have seized a 2,000-year-old marble head of Zeus and more than 7,100 other historical artefacts in separate anti-smuggling operations across the country, officials said on Wednesday, reported Xinhua.

In the western province of Izmir, police seized a Roman-era marble head of Zeus during an operation in the Konak district on Tuesday, according to the provincial security directorate.

The roughly 2,000-year-old artefact was confirmed to be a protected cultural asset, and three suspects were detained, Demirören News Agency reported.

Separately, customs enforcement teams seized a total of 7,160 historical artefacts in two operations at border crossings with Greece in the north-western province of Edirne, the Trade Ministry announced.

At the Ipsala border crossing, an X-ray scan and subsequent search of a Greece-bound lorry uncovered 5,935 cultural artefacts concealed in a food and equipment cabinet inside the trailer.

These included 5,685 coins, 130 arrowheads, 100 rings and 20 miscellaneous accessories.

In a separate operation at the Kapikule border crossing, officials found another 1,225 undeclared coins in a Greece-bound lorry.

The Trade Ministry said investigations into the cases were under way.

--NNN-XINHUA