During the operation carried out by the gendarmerie in Bayburt, many coins and objects, as well as a painting thought to belong to the world-famous painter Pablo Picasso, which was tried to be sold for 6 million Euros, were seized.
THEY WERE SELLING IT AT HIGH PRICES
Within the scope of an investigation carried out by the Bayburt Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office against the crimes of historical artifact trade and unauthorized excavation; It was determined that historical artifacts were traded in Erzincan, Erzurum and surrounding provinces in connection with Bayburt province, and historical artifacts obtained as a result of unauthorized excavations in protected areas were offered for sale at high prices.
SIMULTANEOUS OPERATIONS WERE HELD
As a result of the in-depth research and intelligence work carried out by the Bayburt Provincial Gendarmerie Command, it was determined that the historical artifacts excavated from the Eastern Anatolia and Southeastern Anatolia regions were sold to the western provinces through intermediaries and that some of them were prepared to be taken abroad. With the search warrant obtained from the Judicial Authorities, a simultaneous operation was carried out in 14 provinces against the residences, workplaces and vehicles of 21 suspects.
PAINTING BY PICASSO
During the operations, 3,072 coins from the Ottoman period, 178 coins from the Eastern Roman and Byzantine periods, estimated to be approximately a thousand years old, and various objects, as well as a painting believed to belong to the world-famous painter Pablo Picasso, which the suspects offered for sale for 6 million Euros, were seized.
ALL WERE RELEASED
While 19 of the 21 suspects caught as a result of the operation were released after their statements were taken, 2 suspects were released on probation by the court.