Europol has broken up an international crime group for smuggling artifacts from Bulgaria. Nearly 4,600 items estimated at several million Euros were seized during the Police operation. Most artifacts date back to the Roman Period, but there are also archeological goods from the Bronze Age, the Middle Ages and the time of the Ottoman Empire.

Five people were arrested in Bulgaria during the operation. Three suspects were detained in the United Kingdom as they entered this country. A large number of artifacts were found in their car. The archeological goods  were exported from Bulgaria to the United Kingdom usually via Germany. Bulgaria’s Ministry of Interior, the British Police and the German State Criminal Police of Bavaria participated at the operation codenamed MEDICUS.