Tourist Held for Smuggling Antiquities in Turkey

Davíð Örn Bjarnason a 28 years old Icelander living for the past year in Stockholm Sweden was travelling in Turkey with his girlfriend Thora Birgisdóttir. He was arrested at the airport in Antalya, Turkey, on Friday on suspicion of attempting to smuggle antiquities out of the country when a "piece of marble" he had bought at a market was found in their suitcase. Ms Birgisdóttir was released, in order to return to Sweden to look after their three children. The smuggling of antiquities is considered a serious offence in Turkey and can result in three to six years in prison. The nature of this "piece of marble" is not stated, was it part of a sculpture or a geological specimen? Why did they stop the couple - did they get a tip-off?

'Íslendingur handtekinn í Tyrklandi', Ríkisútvarpið RUV 10.03.2013

 Icelandreview.com, 'Icelander Held for Smuggling Antiquities in Turkey' 11.03.2013

UPDATE

Catharine Fulton, 'Davíð Örn Permitted To Leave Turkey', Rekjavik Grapevine 26.3.2013

Vignette: Cultural marble