Dozens of Ancient Greek Shipwrecks Found Looted off Albanian Coast

Albanian underwater heritage

The Greek Reporter is writing of the looting of 'dozens of ancient ships', lying on the sea bottom 450 km off the coast of Albania, that have recently been looted (Philip Chrysopoulos, 'Dozens of Ancient Greek Shipwrecks Found Looted off Albanian Coast', Greek Reporter Nov 20, 2018):

According to an Athens-Macedonian News Agency report, most of the wrecks are Ancient Greek, Roman and Illyric ships, often loaded with treasures. After the collapse of the Albanian Communist regime of Enver Hoxha, many of the precious shipwreck sites, with vessels carrying gold coins and priceless artifacts, have completely disappeared or been looted. Illegal antiquities traffickers can make a fortune on the worldwide market for ancient art and artifacts. Inside Albania an ancient amphora found in the sea can fetch 100 euros, but on the worldwide art and antiquities markets its price can skyrocket, reaching hundreds of thousands of euros.  

More modern shipwrecks are also looted in the region for the value of the scrap metal and probably there is a connection between the two activities. In June 2018, ancient shipwrecks in the Ionian and Aegean Seas received the designation of “National Cultural Heritage Treasures”, and according to new international regulations, researchers and divers must have a special permit to approach old shipwreck sites.