Sting operation busts global crime ring, reveals priceless antique.
Sting Operation Busts International Crime Ring, Uncovers Priceless Antique
A sting operation conducted at a luxurious London hotel has resulted in the recovery of a 15th-century Chinese vase worth a staggering 2 million pounds ($2.5 million). This successful operation also led to the dismantling of a criminal ring believed to be responsible for stealing the precious artifact from a Swiss museum, according to British police.
The stolen vase, which dates back to the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, was one of three items that were taken from the Museum of Far Eastern Art in Geneva in 2019.
After a London court found two men guilty of charges related to the gang’s attempt to sell the vase, the Metropolitan Police Service made the exciting announcement. Another man had already pleaded guilty to similar charges earlier this year, while two additional individuals who were arrested in London are currently awaiting trial in Switzerland for their alleged involvement in the burglary. All five individuals are from southeast London.
“The organized crime group involved in this offending believed they could commit significant offenses internationally and that there would be no comeback,”
said Detective Chief Inspector Matt Webb of the Met’s Specialist Crime unit.
“They were mistaken, highlighting the strength of our relations with international law enforcement partners and our ability to work across international boundaries.”
London police collaborated with Swiss authorities during the investigation after an auction house alerted them about an email seeking a valuation for the stolen vase. Undercover officers offered to purchase the vase for 450,000 pounds ($573,000) and arranged to meet the suspects at a central London hotel, where the first suspect was apprehended.
In their ongoing efforts to recover the stolen items, the police have offered a reward of 10,000 pounds ($12,734) for any information leading to the retrieval of a wine cup adorned with chicken decorations, which was also stolen from the Geneva museum. Fortunately, an 80,000-pound ($101,872) bowl that was taken in the same heist was returned to the museum after being sold at an auction in Hong Kong in 2019.
The illicit market for stolen Chinese antiquities has witnessed several high-profile heists in recent years, including thefts from British museums and auction houses in 2012, where jade bowls, figurines, and other valuable items worth millions were stolen.
The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.
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