August 9, 2007

ICE returns a stolen antiquity to the Egyptian government
4,500-year-old alabaster vessel, stolen from Egypt in 1979, repatriated

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials today returned an antique vessel in the form of an alabaster duck to the Egyptian government at its consular offices in Manhattan. The vessel, which is over 4,500 years old, had been stolen from the Egyptian Antiquities Inspectorate in 1979.

Last year, the antiquity was to have been offered for sale at Christie's, a prominent auction house in New York City, which contacted ICE officials and advised them of the auction. Christie's withdrew the object from the sale and surrendered it to ICE. Upon taking possession of the vessel, ICE made arrangements to return and repatriate the antiquity to the Egyptian government.

"Today our two countries send a message to those who mistakenly perceive cultural theft as a low-risk/high-return business, said Salvatore Dalessandro, ICE New York acting special agent-in-charge. "National artifacts and cultural treasures are not for sale to the highest bidder, and those who deal in stolen treasures from foreign nations will be aggressively investigated and prosecuted."

Ambassador Sherif El-Kholi, the Consul General of Egypt in New York, explained, "The recovery of the artifact reflects the strong bilateral political and cultural relations between the United States and Egypt. It shows that through international cooperation can we combat this crime which endangers our country's efforts to preserve our heritage and the heritage of mankind."

The stolen antiquity is an offering vessel in the shape of a duck. It had been excavated at the pyramid of Amenemhat III, the sixth ruler of Egypt's 12th dynasty. The vessel was designed to contain the roasted meat of a duck and was placed in the royal burial chambers to be used by the deceased in the after-life. The historic value of the antiquity is priceless; the sale price of the object was estimated at $20,000 to $30,000.

-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.

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