Archaeological assets seized in Man near Messina Denaro

(ANSA) – PALERMO, JUNE 14 – The Anti-Mafia Investigation Directorate has executed a seizure decree aimed at preventive confiscation issued by the Court of Trapani, which concerns assets protected by historical, artistic and archaeological interest. In particular, these are various amphorae from the late Roman era and a marble base reproducing mythological scenes carved on all sides, from the Hellenistic-Roman age, all considered to be of great value, belonging to an international trafficker of works of art, indicated by investigators as linked to the boss Matteo Messina Denaro. According to a note from Dia, “numerous clues emerge regarding the recipient of the provision regarding his dangerousness, characterized by being a person who draws his livelihood from his activity as an international trafficker of archaeological finds”. Several justice collaborators had spoken in the past about the illicit activity carried out by the trafficker. The prevention measure, issued following a proposal from the Director of the Dia and the Public Prosecutor of Palermo Maurizio de Lucia, follows similar measures resulting from the asset investigations carried out by the Anti-Mafia Investigation Directorate of Trapani which demonstrated the disproportion between the sources of income and employment of the suspect’s family unit. The works of art will now be entrusted for safekeeping to the Superintendence of Cultural and Environmental Heritage in order to make them accessible to the community again. (HANDLE).