In Greece, there has been a rise in the last three years in illegal trading of dugup archaeological artefacts. According to police reports, there has been a 30% increase since the crisis took hold in 2009.
Detective Gergios Tsoukalis says "In the last few years with the crisis, people who have reached their limits have become more easily tempted. They are more likely to either sell antiquities in their possession or search for them in abandoned excavation sites, in order to sell what they find to dealers who take them abroad". He believes the most popular buyers are Russians, Chinese and Latin Americans. "We've tracked down ancient Greek antiquities as far away as Columbia - in the hands of drug dealers".
So it seems there is no better time if you want to buy some Greek antiquities - no questions asked...
Amid Greek austerity, plunder of priceless treasures', 20 July 2013.Watch Theopi Skarlatos' report in full at the BBC's Fast Track website
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