WASHINGTON: The United States has returned to Pakistan more than 100 antiquities recovered from Indian-American art smuggler Subhash Kapoor, New York prosecutors announced Thursday.
Kapoor was convicted in India last week of stealing ancient religious idols and trafficking them to his art gallery in Manhattan. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison.
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Just last month, the US government had repatriated 46 artifacts back to Pakistan, including the most notable $1.1 million Buddhapadha. The Kushan period footprints of Buddha (Buddhapadha) were stolen from an unknown archaeological site in the Gandhara region of Pakistan in the 1980s, and smuggled to the United States, and a Japanese art dealer Tatsuzo Kaku was said to be involved in smuggling the sculpture.
Assistant Director Department of Archaeology and Museums (DOAM) Dr Mehmoodul Hassan had told media in Islamabad that the footprints of the Buddha were recovered by the Manhattan district attorney’s office in New York during the investigation and prosecution of a criminal case involving international smuggling and sale of stolen antiquities.
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Subhash Kapoor, it may be mentioned here, also wanted by American authorities, was the subject of a massive US federal investigation known as Operation Hidden Idol. He was convicted in India of stealing ancient religious idols and trafficking them to his art gallery in Manhattan, and was sentenced to 13 years in prison.
