International Trafficking Operation Results in 85 Arrests and Recovery of Thousands of Artworks and Artifacts

In a significant crackdown on international art trafficking, Operation Pandora VIII—a collaborative effort led by the Spanish Guardia Civil and supported by Europol and INTERPOL—has culminated in the arrest of 85 individuals and the recovery of over 6,400 cultural items. This annual initiative unites customs and law enforcement agencies from 25 countries to combat the illicit trade of art and artifacts.

INTERPOL reported that the operation involved rigorous inspections at airports, ports, border crossings, auction houses, museums, and private residences, totaling several thousand checks. In addition, law enforcement conducted 6,000 online investigations, successfully retrieving 580 stolen items. Currently, there are 113 ongoing criminal cases and 137 administrative cases, indicating further arrests and asset seizures are likely to occur.

The countries participating in this extensive operation include Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Serbia, Sweden, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.

A noteworthy recovery involved a joint effort by Spanish and Ukrainian authorities, which led to the retrieval of 11 gold items worth over $65 million that were connected to money laundering and the illicit trafficking of Scythian artifacts. Additionally, the Spanish Guardia Civil in Córdoba seized a private collection of 350 items, encompassing lithic, ceramic, and metal artifacts from various historical periods.

Other significant recoveries included:

• A 19th-century wooden iconostasis stolen from a church in Romania, which was subsequently sold online.
• The Bulgarian Customs Agency intercepting 432 ancient coins destined for France from Türkiye.
• The Greek national police seizing 43 ancient amphorae, resulting in the arrest of two suspects.
• The Polish National Police retrieving 229 objects, some made from ivory, valued at over $152,000.
• The Italian Carabinieri recovering over 2,000 fragments of ceramic and lithic artifacts, along with a contemporary painting valued at around $163,000.
• French authorities seizing an illegally exported painting by Vietnamese artist Mai Thứ, valued at $182,000.
• The Czech National Police recovering a stolen wooden statue of Saint Bartholomew, dating back to 1658-1660, which had been taken from the Last Supper Chapel in Římov in 1994 before being offered for sale online.

INTERPOL facilitated the exchange of vital information and supported frontline officers via its Stolen Works of Art Database and the ID-Art mobile application, while Europol provided analytical and operational assistance to enhance communication and coordination among participating nations.

Launched in 2016, Operation Pandora is part of the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT), and aims to combat the illicit trafficking of cultural goods through robust international collaboration.