High Profile Arrest on Illegal Artifacts

A "high-profile" arrest was made yesterday in connection with illegal possession of antique items. The accused was the 70-year-old Costas Karras, president of the Hellenic Society for the Protection of the Environment and Cultural Heritage. Mr Karras was charged with possession of undeclared antiquities that were found in his home at Plaka, Athens.
Among the artifacts recovered from the house of Karras, 24 marble artifacts, nine silver and bronze coins, four icons and four religious books from the 17th and 18th centuries are included. The items have been sent for archaeological testing.
Mr Karras claimed that some of these antiquities are family heirlooms, while the others were discovered in his land in Plaka. However, the items have not been registered with the Greek Ministry of Culture.