Looted Syrian antiquities for sale in Denmark

Baku, January 25, AZERTAC

Danish police are investigating the attempted sale of looted Syrian antiquities within Denmark, North Zealand Police told broadcaster DR .

North Zealand Police has obtained photos allegedly showing ancient relics that have been shopped around on the Danish market. Among the items is a Koran that is being sold as one of the original copies of the Islamic holy book, but which experts believe is a fake.

Joachim Meyer, the curator of the Copenhagen museum The David Collection, said that stolen goods and fake cultural relics often come out of war zones. Meyer, who was the one to determine that the Koran was a fake, said Western museums are well aware of the risk that they may be offered stolen or looted items.

“We can see that auction houses, art dealers and even we ourselves are much more aware of where these things are coming from and whether they have a proper back story so that we can determine if the items were part of the international art trade long before the wars broke out in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq,” he told DR.