Arrests over Antiquities in Thessaloniki [UPDATE]

         Metal detector users stopped in EU      

A series of archaeological artefacts, chiefly coins removed from trashing the archaeological record were seized from two men, aged 66 and 40, who were (Arrests over antiquities in Thessaloniki Ekathimerini Newsroom 12.12.2021):

arrested by police officers from the Department for the Protection of Cultural Heritage and Antiquities in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, authorities announced on Saturday. According to police, a search conducted on Friday at a property in Siatista, Kozani, in Western Macedonia, as well as a vehicle, yielded 292 items, which included bronze and silver coins, rings, seals dating to various periods, as well as tools used in excavations. The confiscated objects were adjudged to fall under the provisions of the law for the protection of antiquities and cultural heritage in general.

Their removal from the contexts of deposition and appropriation for collection or sale are treated as socially unacceptable in European law, and is treated variously as a crime or misdemeanour. In Bonkers Britain of course this does not apply. The antiquities laws there are about as effective as a wet paper bag for protecting the archaeological record from looting and wanton destruction for selfish ends.   Why would that be? Whose interests does that serve? 

Update 13.12.21

From France, a comment from detectophage orchidoclaste

"Vous le voyez arriver vous aussi le commentaire parasite du genre "c'est pas prouvé qu'il utilise un détecteur" ? C'est précisément pour cette raison que toutes les polices du monde prennent en photo le détecteur saisi en même temps que le butin du détectoriste... le déni est ancré dans les pratiques de désinformation de ce milieu de la chasse aux trésors."

This denial is so very widespread....