1,400 Stolen Indian Artifacts Worth $10 Million Returned to India as Part of Criminal Network Probe
US Returns Over 1,400 Looted Antiquities Worth $10 Million to India in Landmark Repatriation Effort
The United States has returned over 1,400 looted antiquities worth an estimated $10 million to India, marking a significant milestone in international efforts to combat the illicit trafficking of cultural artifacts. The repatriated goods, which include ancient sculptures and relics, were recovered as part of an ongoing investigation into international trafficking networks. Notably, some of the recovered items had been on display at the prestigious New York Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The repatriation was made public on Wednesday, with a formal ceremony held at the Indian Consulate in New York. Among the items returned was a sandstone sculpture of a celestial dancer, which had been smuggled from central India to London before being illegally sold to one of the Met’s patrons and later donated to the museum.
In a press release, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office confirmed that the goods were recovered as part of a larger investigation into criminal trafficking networks, including those operated by convicted art traffickers Subhash Kapoor and Nancy Wiener. Kapoor, an American antiquities dealer, had been at the center of a multimillion-dollar looting operation that spanned several countries. He was arrested in Germany and later extradited to India, where he faced charges for his role in the trafficking of stolen Indian antiquities. In 2022, Kapoor was convicted in India for his involvement in these illegal activities.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York Special Agent in Charge, William S. Walker, described the repatriation as a “victory” in the ongoing international investigation, calling it part of a broader effort to dismantle one of history’s most prolific antiquities trafficking rings. “Today’s repatriation marks another victory in what has been a multi-year, international investigation into antiquities trafficked by one of history’s most prolific offenders,” Walker said in a statement.
The repatriation of these antiquities comes just months after the United States and India signed the first-ever “Cultural Property Agreement” in July. The agreement aims to prevent and control the illicit trafficking of antiquities from India to the United States, providing a framework for future cooperation between the two countries in safeguarding cultural heritage. The agreement was signed by Govind Mohan, Secretary of India’s Ministry of Culture, and US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti.
The returned collection, which spans nearly 4,000 years of Indian history—from 2000 BCE to 1900 CE—includes a diverse range of artifacts. According to the Indian Ministry of Culture, the majority of the antiquities are terracotta objects from Eastern India, but the collection also features items made from stone, metal, wood, and ivory, representing various regions of the country.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs noted that the United States has been a key partner in repatriating stolen cultural artifacts, with 578 items returned to India since 2016. The September repatriation, which included 297 antiquities, marked a notable step forward in the effort to restore India’s cultural heritage. “This is the maximum number of cultural artifacts returned by any country to India,” the statement added.
This repatriation is part of a larger global movement to combat the trafficking of cultural property, which has become a significant issue for many nations. The US has played a leading role in these efforts, with the Manhattan District Attorney’s office continuing to spearhead investigations into the illicit trade of antiquities.
The return of these antiquities to India is not just a victory for cultural preservation, but a symbolic gesture in the fight against art trafficking. As international cooperation strengthens in the field of cultural heritage protection, the hope is that more countries will follow suit in returning stolen artifacts to their rightful owners.
The recovered antiquities will be restored to their places of origin in India, where they will be preserved and displayed as part of the nation’s rich cultural legacy.