145 smuggled artifacts seized in Al Ain

Customs authorities in the eastern oasis town of Al Ain seized an Arab man as he tried to smuggle 145 statues and other historic artifacts from a neighbouring Gulf country, the semi official daily 'Al Ittihad' reported on Sunday.

The objects, including ancient metallic human and camel statues, were found concealed inside wooden crates and metal boxes in a truck that tried to enter Al-Ain from another Gulf country, the paper said.

The unnamed driver said he did not know about the presence of those objects when he was caught crossing the border point late night.
“He said he works for a shipping firm in the UAE and his job was to take the truckload to that firm from another Arab country,” said Saeed Al Muhairi, director of customs at the Abu Dhabi Department of Finance.

“The driver was surprised when he saw those objects…he said the relatives of the firm’s manager gave him the shipment but did not tell him about its contents…the driver gave customs authorities the name of that firm.”

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