Smugglers Arrested in Lebanon

The Lebanon Star announces: May. 16, 2013, 'Lebanon Seizes artifacts smuggled from Syria '

Lebanese authorities have recovered Byzantine and Roman-era artifacts smuggled into the country from Syria, General Security said in a statement Thursday. Members from General Security made the discovery after raiding a storehouse containing quantities of the stolen artifacts. The statement did not say where the seizure had taken place but said General Security had been tipped off about the stash and acted after referring to the Public Prosecutor’s Office. General Security also arrested two members of a smuggling ring who confessed that they had stolen the items. They said the artifacts were looted from cemeteries in Palmyra and churches in Homs. Authorities are continuing their search for the remaining members of the smuggling ring, General Security said in the statement.

More information about this (or another?) ring emerged the next day ('3 Lebanese arrested over attempted sale of rare artifacts' DailyStarLeb May. 17, 2013) The men were arrested in
Ablah [Zahle],” in east Lebanon and they were found to be in the possession of artefacts of Roman and Ottoman date which they were showing photographs of in order to effect a sale:

The three Lebanese nationals – R.K, 21; B.Z., 40; Q.S., 32 – were apprehended with a number of artifacts in their possession, the police said. The items recovered were: a Roman-era, marble plaque used for burial purposes; a bronze plaque artifact; a warrior’s helmet with the seal of Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid; a set of rings and bracelets; an old, ornamented silver urn; an Ottoman-era sword; a small brass statue.