News you will not see on the blogs of Sayles, Tompa, De La Fe or Welsh; the HSI want the coin collecting community to know that investigation on the smuggling of some 546 ancient Bulgarian coins, which were seized in the U.S. and returned to Bulgaria, continues (FOCUS News Agency, 'Investigation on Bulgaria ancient coins smuggling in U.S. continues', 07 September 2013) In September 2011, HSI special agents learned of a shipment of ancient coins from Bulgaria destined for the United States. HSI New York, in close coordination with CBP’s Customs Air Cargo Examination Facility, examined and seized the coins. An investigation of the coins revealed the shipment contained a false country of origin, a false description of the commodity and were undervalued.The coins were returned to Bulgaria on May 21, 2013 at a special ceremony at the Bulgarian Consulate General in New York.
HSI Special Agent Thomas Mulhall, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Cultural Property, Art and Antiquities Investigations and Repatriations Program (CPAA), announced the news at a briefing, Radio FOCUS correspondent to Washington announced. Mulhall added that the criminal investigation takes place in Newark, New Jersey. The coins were seized in a post parcel, they were not smuggled by a person. They were sent by post, to a post box in Newark, at the seaport, that is why the investigation takes place there, Thomas Mulhall explained. In his words, the cooperation with the Bulgarian authorities is at a very high level. He added that over the past six months two officers with the U.S. service visited Bulgaria to take part in a conference on coordination and training.Readers will remember that at the handover ceremony, James T. Hayes Jr., special agent in charge of HSI New York, said "Today our two countries send a message to those who mistakenly perceive cultural theft as a low-risk, high-return business". It looks like they may not be kidding.
Readers might also remember the attempts of the coiney lobby back in May to attempt to deflect attention from the potential implications of this seizure:
'Something's Missing All Right...', Friday, 24 May 2013
'Bulgarian Dugup Coin Seizure: The View from Washington', Saturday, 25 May 2013
'Bulgarian Dugup Coin Seizure: The View From Baltimore County', Monday, 27 May 2013
'Washington Legal Firm's "CPO" can't keep his eye on the ball ?', Tuesday, 28 May 2013
