Italy celebrates getting back 600 antiquities that were taken and sold years ago and recovered as a result of criminal investigations

Italy on Tuesday celebrated the return of around 600 antiquities from the US, including ancient bronze statues, gold coins, mosaics and manuscripts valued at €60m ($65m), that were looted years ago, sold to US museums, galleries and collectors and recovered as a result of criminal investigations.

US ambassador Jack Markell, Matthew Bogdanos, the head of the antiquities trafficking unit of the New York district attorney’s office, and members of the US Homeland Security Investigations department were on hand for the presentation alongside the leadership of Italy’s culture ministry and carabinieri art squad.