Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., announced the return of 133 antiquities valued at $14 million to Pakistan. These items were seized through multiple investigations into trafficking networks targeting Pakistani artifacts, involving Subhash Kapoor and Richard Beale. The return took place during a ceremony with Consul General Aamer Ahmed Atozai and Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Christopher Lau from Homeland Security Investigations, New York.
“I thank our team of outstanding investigators and prosecutors, along with our partners at HSI, for returning these more than 100 antiquities back to the people of Pakistan. We will continue to celebrate Manhattan’s status as one of the cultural capitals of the world, while doing everything possible to ensure that the antiquities sitting in our galleries and museums arrived here legally,” said Manhattan District Attorney Bragg.
“These artifacts are now being returned to where they belong. This repatriation is more than the return of physical objects; it is the restoration of a part of Pakistan’s soul and identity,” said Consul General Aamer Ahmed Atozai.
“It is an honor and a privilege to return these invaluable artifacts to the people of Pakistan, representing the very essence of their nation’s profound heritage. These 133 pieces of stolen history were being sold through black-market deals by antiquities traffickers. HSI stands at the forefront in investigating crimes related to the unlawful trafficking and dissemination of cultural treasures and ancient relics,” said Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo. “HSI New York remains resolute in our dedication to collaborating with foreign and domestic counterparts to safeguard against the plundering of irreplaceable antiquities.”
One of the key items being returned is a Gold Strato I Coin, minted circa 105-85 B.C.E. during the reign of King Strato I, who ruled portions of the Indo-Greek empire, including Gandhara, in what is now northern Pakistan. The coin first surfaced in 2021 with BEALE and was seized by the Antiquities Trafficking Unit in 2023 when he attempted to smuggle it into the U.S. via JFK airport. BEALE and his co-conspirator, ITALO VECCHI, were convicted of antiquities trafficking-related crimes in August 2023. The broader investigation into the BEALE-VECCHI trafficking network is ongoing.
