Authorities have arrested a 53-year-old truck driver after discovering ancient amphorae hidden in his vehicle, police announced.
The arrest follows an investigation into the trafficking and illegal trade of antiquities.
Officers from the Southeast Attica Crimes Division had received intelligence regarding the illicit trade. They subsequently placed the suspect’s residence in Alimos under discreet surveillance.
At 7:10 a.m. Thursday, the man exited his apartment and was approached by police, who identified themselves and informed him of an impending inspection.
A search of his primary vehicle at the scene revealed no contraband.
Authorities then proceeded to search his apartment in the presence of a judicial officer, where they found an unlicensed double-barreled hunting shotgun.
The key discovery, however, came in a second vehicle—a Seat Toledo—which was parked some distance from his home.
Inside this vehicle, police uncovered ancient artifacts believed to date from the 5th to the 1st century B.C. These included three intact maritime amphorae with pointed bases, dated to the 5th-3rd century B.C.; one intact maritime amphora with a pointed base, dated to the 5th-1st century B.C.; and one intact Byzantine-era maritime amphora with a broken rim and incomplete handle.