Last time I looked, ACCG Director Wayne Sayles was scheduled to talk in the CBA Newcastle conference on collecting soon, which probably means that he'll be passing through a UK port of entry any day now. Last year, a package of coins was sent to an address in the USA from the UK but was seized at Baltimore Airport because they were being moved across international borders illegally - without the relevant documentation. Although the court documents do not specify this, it seems that the were being sent to the ACCG address, a building currently being used by Mr Sayles. This means Mr Sayles knows an awful lot about those illegally imported coins and who exported them, information that to which not even Maryland District Court is privy.
This raises the question whether he should not be detained by Her Majesty's Customs and Revenue at the point of entry to investigate whether an offence has been committed under the UK Dealing in Cultural Property (Offences) Act 2003, article 3(1)(c). They will not of course, the British establishment has not gathered the will to do the slightest thing to hinder the illegal movement of ancient artefacts across UK borders.
So how many British archaeologists will baulk at being photographed smilingly shaking the hand of the gentleman mixed up in the Baltimore illegal coin import?
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