Trafficking in Antiquities—FBI Top 10

The BBC has mentioned that the FBI has come up with a list of what it calls the top 10 art crimes worldwide.^[1] By some estimations, art crimes account for nearly US1 billion to US$2 billion in transactions annually.^[2] While the list is dominated by paintings, there is strong international pressure on the US to help find thousands of items looted in Iraq following the US-led invasion.^[3]

More information on the FBI program, including a list of the top ten items, which include a Stradivarius violin, the looted Iraqi artifacts, and the theft of Edvard Munch’s The Scream, can be found here.

We have previously discussed trafficking in antiquities here.

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[1] Vincent Dowd, FBI Names Top 10 World Art Crimes, BBC News, Nov. 17, 2005, available here.
[2] Id.
[3] Id.