The six arrested people involved in the antiquities theft ring, which was dismantled by the police after months of investigations, are expected to be brought before the Heraklion public prosecutor today

According to information, in the courts of Heraklion will be brought the main defendants: a 72-year-old pensioner, a 46-year-old and a 56-year-old as well as the 69-year-old Italian, a 37-year-old and a 43-year-old.

At the same time, the police authorities are looking for three more people who are allegedly involved in the ring and they are a 27-year-old, a 43-year-old and a 71-year-old.

For three years now the circuit has been operating – The Roles

For three years now, it seems that the antiquities ring has been operating with three men as “founders”.

It all started in 2020 when the 72-year-old retiree, the 46-year-old and the 56-year-old decided to get involved in buying and selling antiques.

In fact, it seems that everyone had one specific role. The 46-year-old (carpenter by profession) and the 56-year-old (former porter) were involved in antiquities detection, recording of people who owned antiquities and also the clientele.

The 72-year-old pensioner, who used to work in an archaeological service because of his specialized knowledge, had the role of appraiser of the ancient objects found by the other two. He gave them information both about the cultural

The urns and the… last deal they made

A well-planned plan to buy and sell the antiquities found in the warehouse had a total of 9 people involved in the case (the seven arrested and the three wanted).

According to informations of cretapost, it all happened last January when the discussion started among the members of the criminal organization about the buying and selling of the ancient objects they had at their disposal.

In fact, one of those wanted – the 71-year-old – found the 69-year-old Italian who was desperate to acquire some of the illegal antiquities.

Discussions began – with the help of a 27-year-old, who is wanted – about where and how the deal will be done.

A 43-year-old man is also involved in the discussions, who is wanted by the authorities without his role yet being ascertained.

Finally, it was decided the Italian buyer to come to Crete and see the antiquities up close and then close the deal for their purchase.

The arrests and the warehouse with the… treasures

So, on Easter, last Sunday the 69-year-old arrived in Heraklion where three of the people involved were waiting for him.

After taking him to a hotel the next morning, Monday, they went to the warehouse where the antiquities were kept and then left.

But what they didn’t know was how in the warehouse with the ancients there were also police men who knew about the ring as some of its members had put them under discreet surveillance.

As soon as the perpetrators left the warehouse, the police went and opened it and found themselves in front of an untold treasure.

Larnaca from the Late Minoan era, vases from the Late Minoan but also the Stone Age as well as a multitude of other antiquities.

In fact, the archaeologists called by the police were literally left speechless by the cultural and monetary value of the ancients. Cretapost’s information indicates that the total cost exceeds 1 million euros!

Immediately after the autopsy in the warehouse with the… treasures, the police made arrests.

They identified and arrested six of the nine people involved while three more people are still being sought.