Police seize priceless 2,000-year-old Aphrodite statue in Istanbul

Istanbul anti-smuggling police units contacted two suspects who were trying to sell historical artifacts obtained from illegal excavations upon received intelligence.

The two suspects, identified as A.Ş. and Y.Z., demanded 1 million Turkish Liras for the 13 artifacts, which included the Roman period statue of Aphrodite, seven bottles, two wine cups, two cubes and a piece of sheet glass sent as a gift to a princess.

Police detained the two suspects when they brought the artifacts for closer examination.

A.Ş., who was a contractor, reportedly said in his initial testimony that he got the historical artifacts in return for a house he had sold.

Meanwhile, experts announced that the Aphrodite statue was 2,000 years old and priceless.

The artifacts will be handed over to the Istanbul Archaeology Museum after they are examined.