North Macedonia charges 8 for antiquities smuggling

SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — The prosecutor’s office in North Macedonia says eight men have been charged in connection with an antiquities smuggling case, where ancient artifacts were dug up in illegal excavations across the country to be sold to foreign buyers. The alleged illegal excavations and sales occurred in 2020 and 2021. The eight were arrested in September 2021 following police raids on their homes and other properties connected to them in 10 locations in the southwestern town of Bitola and the northwestern town of Tetovo. Prosecutors say the two main suspects allegedly led dozens of illegal excavations beginning in May 2020 to supply buyers in Albania, Croatia, Greece, Serbia, Turkey and the United States.