The US authorities have returned 307 artefacts, estimated to be valued close to $4 million, to Indian officials. These were seized from the gallery run by international smuggler Subhash Kapoor, other art galleries, and trafficking organisations.
An inquiry into Subhash Kapoor, who assisted in the trafficking of artefacts from India and other nations, led to the seizure of as many as 235 of the antiquities. Five others were recovered from a person, Nancy Wiener, in New York and one pursuant to an investigation against another person, Nayef Homsi. The remaining 66 antiquities were stolen from India by multiple smaller trafficking networks.
All the antiquities were returned during a repatriation ceremony at the Indian Consulate in New York attended by India’s Consul General Randir Jaiswal, and US Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Acting Deputy Special Agent-in-Charge, Tom Lau.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg remarked in a statement, “We are honoured to give the people of India hundreds of magnificent pieces back. These antiquities were stolen by multiple complex and sophisticated trafficking rings that showed little regard for the cultural or historical importance of these artefacts stole these treasures.”
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Michael Alfonso said that “This repatriation is the product of a 15-year investigation that spanned the globe. The investigating team sought leads, pursued the money, and eventually seized these items to guarantee their return to the Indian people”.
One of the antiquities being returned from Nancy Wiener are the idols of Vishnu and Lakshmi with Garuda, dating to the 11th century, which was allegedly stolen from a temple in Central India. A Chola-era Sambandar bronze idol, a Chola-era Devi idol in stone, bronze idols of Vinayaga, Narasimha with Lakshmi, a wooden idol of Muruga and wooden chauri bearers are other items that had been taken from Tamil Nadu.
