The United States has returned more than 1,400 looted artifacts worth nearly $10 million to India, according to a statement from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
Significant Artifact Repatriation
Among the returned items is a sandstone sculpture of a Celestial Dancer, which was stolen from a temple in Madhya Pradesh in the early 1980s. The sculpture was looted, cut into two pieces to ease smuggling, and later reassembled. One of Subhash Kapoor’s clients donated it to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The sculpture remained on display at the museum until it was seized by the Art Theft Unit (ATU) in 2023.
International Investigation Leads to Recovery
This repatriation is part of a long-running international investigation into antiquities trafficking, spearheaded by HSI New York and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. “Today’s repatriation marks another victory in what has been a multi-year, international investigation into antiquities trafficked by one of history’s most prolific offenders,” said HSI New York special agent in charge William S. Walker. He further emphasized the collaborative effort with India and international partners to dismantle smuggling networks and recover these priceless items.
Connection to High-Profile Traffickers
The recovered artifacts were part of multiple investigations into criminal trafficking rings, including those linked to notorious antiquities trafficker Subhash Kapoor and convicted trafficker Nancy Wiener. These investigations have led to the conviction of five individuals involved in the illicit trade.
