27.06.2026 15:03
In the major operation against historical artifact smugglers in Beykoz, Istanbul, a total of 10,185 historical artifacts, including priceless coins and objects, were seized. The artifacts, identified as belonging to 12 different civilizations, were handed over to museum officials, marking one of the biggest seizures in the history of the Anti-Smuggling Branch Directorate.
The Istanbul Police Department is not giving any leeway to historical artifact smugglers trying to smuggle Turkey's cultural heritage abroad. Teams from the Anti-Smuggling Crimes Branch Directorate, in a rare operation, rescued a veritable summary of Anatolian history from the hands of smugglers.
MASSIVE OPERATION IN BEYKOZ
Having conducted meticulous work for a long time on the crime of "Violation of Law No. 2863 on the Protection of Cultural and Natural Assets," police forces pressed the button on June 23. In a dawn raid on a pre-determined address in the Beykoz district, two suspects identified as historical artifact smugglers were apprehended and taken into custody.
OVER 10,000 HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS RESCUED
During detailed searches at the suspects' address, even the police teams could not hide their astonishment at the scene they encountered. In the inventory taken at the address, which resembled a hidden museum:
- 6,819 archaeological objects, inscriptions, and various historical artifacts,
- 3,366 ancient coins,
- A total of 10,185 pieces were seized.
LIKE A SUMMARY OF ANATOLIAN HISTORY
Initial examinations of the seized materials by experts once again revealed the scale and importance of the operation. These artifacts, stated to be of high quality suitable for display in museums, were assessed to belong to 12 different civilizations that ruled in Anatolia and surrounding regions.
The magnificent civilizations and periods identified as belonging to the artifacts are as follows:
Anatolian Seljuk, Great Seljuk, Hittite, Urartian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Assyrian, Mesopotamian, Umayyad, Abbasid, and Ottoman.
SUSPECTS RELEASED
Given the diversity, historical value, and incredible quantity of the artifacts, this successful operation has been recorded as one of the most significant and largest seizures in the history of the Istanbul Police Department's Anti-Smuggling Crimes Branch Directorate.
Meanwhile, the 2 suspects taken into custody within the scope of the operation were referred to the courthouse after the completion of their police procedures. It was reported that the suspects were released by the judicial authorities, pending the completion of their files. The priceless artifacts will be handed over to the relevant museum directorates for detailed examination and preservation.