Antiquities stolen from the Middle East have resurfaced in art markets all over the world. Now the police have teamed up with archaeologists for a global investigation to stop criminal networks from trafficking in these priceless artefacts.
The pillaging of archaeological artefacts began on an unprecedented scale with the destruction of Palmyra in Syria by ISIS and it continued with artefacts stolen from Iraq and Libya. Stolen antiquities have been exhibited at renowned galleries and sold around the world in online markets.
In this unprecedented year-long investigation we shadow European specialist police units and investigative archaeologists to reveal a sprawling criminal network. From auction rooms in Paris, Brussels, and New York we follow the thread back to Libya, the new centre for crooked dealers, some of whom have links with terrorist groups like ISIS.
