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The Egyptian Museum in Cairo, which was looted during rioting last spring. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.

Egyptian officials say Brit tried to smuggle artifacts

Tom Hoepf
Tom Hoepf
The Egyptian Museum in Cairo, which was looted during rioting last spring. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.
The Egyptian Museum in Cairo, which was looted during rioting last spring. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.

CAIRO (AP) – Egyptian security officials say they have thwarted an attempt by a British man and his wife to smuggle 19 artifacts out of the country.

Police say the couple was stopped in Luxor International Airport on Sunday with pieces in their luggage ranging from Pharonic statues and pottery to a Greco-Roman bronze coin.

Security officials spoke on condition of anonymity in line with police rules.

Security around the country has deteriorated since last year’s uprising when several pieces went missing from the Egyptian museum.

For centuries, Egyptian antiquities have been looted from the country, but authorities are demanding key pieces be returned.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-WF-02-26-12 2107GMT

ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE

The Egyptian Museum in Cairo, which was looted during rioting last spring. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.
The Egyptian Museum in Cairo, which was looted during rioting last spring. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.