The Balkans have always been a treasure chest of ancient civilizations-Greek, Roman, Thracian, and countless local cultures that left behind millennia of heritage buried under fields, hillsides, and forgotten ruins. But for just as long, the region has been a hunting ground for criminal networks intent on digging up these treasures and selling them into the international art market. Now, one of the largest operations ever conducted against such trafficking has exposed a sprawling criminal network that quietly moved artifacts worth nearly a billion euros across Europe and beyond.

In what investigators describe as a historic crackdown, Bulgarian authorities-supported by Europol and coordinated by Eurojust-conducted a sweeping, multi-country operation that resulted in 35 arrests, including the alleged kingpin of the illicit enterprise. Thousands of looted artifacts were seized, ranging from exquisitely crafted masks and jewelry to ceremonial cups, military gear, and objects dating back as far as 2000 B.C. The scale of the recovery is staggering: over 3,000 newly discovered antiquities valued at around 100 million euros, with Eurojust estimating the broader stolen collection to be worth approximately 870 million euros.

The enormous case did not materialize overnight. According to the Bulgarian Interior Ministry, more than 131 coordinated searches were executed across Bulgaria and multiple foreign jurisdictions. These searches targeted private homes, offices, bank safes, vehicles, and other storage facilities believed to be connected to the criminal network. What investigators found was not just cultural objects but also a large ecosystem of illicit tools: weapons, electronic devices used for communications and scanning, precious metals, investment gold, and over 50,000 euros in cash.

The origins of the investigation trace back to a 2020........

© Blitz