Egypt's Consul General in Los Angeles receives 48 smuggled artifacts from the US

The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that this repatriation highlights the ongoing cooperation between Egypt and the United States in recovering smuggled Egyptian antiquities and protecting Egypt's cultural heritage. Dr. Ali expressed Egypt's appreciation for the return of these significant pieces and praised the collaboration between the two countries in combating the illicit trafficking of cultural property. The FBI in Los Angeles announced that FBI Assistant Director in Charge, Patrick Grandy, hosted the Consul General and the Regional Director of the State Department at a ceremony, joined by members of the FBI's Art Crime Team and the FBI's Legal Attache assigned to Cairo.

The repatriated items, many thousands of years old, include amulets, carved figures, and funerary objects from the Pharaonic, Roman, and Coptic periods. ADIC Grandy and the Consul General signed ceremonial repatriation certificates during the event.