Ankara: More than 10,000 historic artefacts were seized at the Istanbul home of two people who have been placed under arrest, Turkish police said Thursday.
"An operation was carried out by our anti-smuggling directorate and two individuals were arrested. Our cultural heritage constitutes our country's collective memory and the universal heritage of humanity," said Istanbul police chief Selami Yildiz.
Among the items seized are 3,366 coins, inscriptions and various historical artefacts reflecting the social life, beliefs and economic activities of the Hittite, Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman periods, according to the private Turkish news agency DHA.
Turkish authorities aggressively crack down on illegal trading in the country's antiquities, and last year the country secured the return of 180 plundered artworks.
