The national government prevented the smuggling of 47 pre-Columbian archaeological pieces over 500 years old that attempted to enter the country from Uruguay.
Undeclared merchandise
The AFIP Customs operation took place on Wednesday (29.8.2018) on the Libertador General San Martín Bridge, which connects Gualeguaychú with the Uruguayan city of Fray Bentos. At that border crossing, a vehicle was stopped and, upon inspecting the cargo, the following were found: undeclared ceramic figures.
When questioned by customs personnel, the driver of the car said he was carrying “books and clay crafts.” However, when checking the luggage, the following items were found: Archaeological pieces Among which are stamps from the Mexican Central Plateau dating from between 900-1521, belonging to the Archaeological Heritage of that country.
«ARCHEO» program
Customs officials used the “Archeo” system, a computer system provided by the World Customs Organization that allowed obtaining technical reports on the years of origin and their authenticity, carried out by specialists from the National Institute of Anthropology and History of Mexico.
Finally, the Mexican Embassy in Argentina was informed and requested that the necessary diplomatic actions be implemented to achieve the recovery and repatriation of the pieces.
The objects are of incalculable value and are in the custody of Customs. The Federal Court of First Instance of Concordia, Entre Ríos, intervened in the procedure.
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Case Considerations
La Argentina by law 25.743 prohibits the transportation, storage, purchase, sale and any action that considers trade in pieces, products or by-products from archaeological and paleontological sites national or international.
Archaeological Heritage
Archaeological Heritage is understood as movable and immovable property or vestiges of any nature that are found on the surface, subsoil or submerged in jurisdictional waters, which can provide information about the sociocultural groups that inhabited the country from pre-Columbian times to recent historical periods.
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