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ROME (AP) — The United States has returned 25 artifacts that were looted from Italy, including Etruscan vases, 1st-century frescoes and precious books that had made their way into top-notch U.S. museum, university and private collections.
The items were either spontaneously turned over or were seized by police after Italian authorities noticed them in Christie's auction catalogues or gallery listings and tipped them off. One 17th-century Venetian cannon was seized by Boston border patrol agents as it was being smuggled from Egypt inside construction equipment.
U.S. Ambassador John Phillips joined Italy's carabinieri police today to show off the haul, which included Etruscan vases from the Toledo Museum of Art and the Minneapolis Institute of Art, and 17th-century botany books from Johns Hopkins University.
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188-a-11-(Ambassador John Phillips, U.S. representative to Italy and San Marino, at news conference)-"here in Italy"-Ambassador John Phillips says that a joint operation between two groups -- the Homeland Security Investigation, or HSI, and Italy's art theft squad, the TPC -- has led to the return of valuable artifacts to Italy. (26 May 2015)
<<CUT *188 (05/26/15)££ 00:11 "here in Italy"
189-a-18-(Ambassador John Phillips, U.S. representative to Italy and San Marino, at news conference)-"and every year"-Ambassador John Phillips says that despite the best attempts of investigators, the illegal trade in cultural artifacts is booming. ((note cut length)) (26 May 2015)
<<CUT *189 (05/26/15)££ 00:18 "and every year"
APPHOTO ALT114: A first century B.C. fresco taken from Pompeii is displayed during a press conference in Rome, Tuesday, May 26, 2015. The United States has returned 25 artifacts that were looted from Italy, including Etruscan vases, 1st century frescoes and precious books that had made their way into top-notch U.S. museum, university and private collections. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) (26 May 2015)
<<APPHOTO ALT114 (05/26/15)££
APPHOTO ALT110: A Carabinieri Italian paramilitary police officer stands next to a group of ancient artifacts returned Italy by The United States, on display in a Rome Carabinieri barracks, Tuesday, May 26, 2015. The United States has returned 25 artifacts that were looted from Italy, including Etruscan vases, 1st century frescoes and precious books that had made their way into top-notch U.S. museum, university and private collections. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) (26 May 2015)
<<APPHOTO ALT110 (05/26/15)££
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