In pics: Smuggled swords, ammunition seized in Cairo Airport

CAIRO - 30 April 2019: Cairo International Airport authorities managed to foil an attempt to smuggle a number of real bullets, cold weapons, ancient swords and gemstones, in violation of the Egyptian relevant laws.

The authorities could seize 13 bullets of a Grenov machine gun, 8 pocketknives, 22 coins dating back to the Abbasid Caliphate's era, 2 ancient swords related to late kings of Abyssinia (now Ethiopia), and around 2 kilograms of gemstones, according to security reports.

The smuggled objects were possessed by an Arab passenger who flew from Jeddah to Cairo.



Earlier this year, Tourism and Antiquities police managed to seize 15 Pharaonic figurines and 111 ancient Greek coins inside a house in Asyut, inhabited by a 33-year old man who, according to the investigations, attempted to sell and smuggle them abroad.

Investigations revealed that the defendant excavated a four-meter deep trench inside his house in the Upper Egyptian governorate to search for antiquities.

The 15 seized figurines include 10 limestone sculptures, with lengths ranging between 10-20 centimeters, the investigation revealed.

A specialized committee confirmed that the seized antiquities are authentic and ancient. The defendant admitted the allegations.

As per the law of antiquities, any excavations should be conducted after getting permission from the Supreme Council of Antiquities or from the Tourism Police Department; then, a committee should be formed by officials from the two bodies to check the presence of ancient artifacts.

However, several illegal excavations have been reported recently because the owners of the archaeological sites are not compensated appropriately by the government.


The smuggled objects were possessed by an Arab passenger who flew from Jeddah to Cairo - Press photo