French customs authorities seized 2,000 antiquities dating back to the prehistoric period, most of which were stolen from Algeria. The owner of a gallery had auctioned off antiquities in the French city of Béziers, without possessing legal documents, according to what French media reported.
The artifacts include stone tools, bone remains, coins, and ceramic remains, the result of excavations in sites dating back to the prehistoric period in Algeria. They were smuggled through smuggling networks specialized in depleting the material heritage and historical memory of Algeria.
The same authorities estimated the value of these seized artifacts at between 5,000 and 8,000 euros.
After ensuring that the owner of the exhibition hall did not possess legal documents, the seizures were deposited at the level of the archive center in the archaeology in the French city of Nimes. The fate of the seized items remains dependent on the presence of requests from countries wishing to return them.
As a reminder, security services in Algeria have seized, since the beginning of 2026, huge quantities of archaeological objects and tools that were destined for smuggling or illegal sale, as part of efforts to protect the national cultural heritage.
The most prominent operation in Ain Defla state was the seizure of an archaeological treasure containing more than 10,000 Roman bronze coins dating back to the fourth century AD. In another operation, 335 coins, small statues and a traditional firearm were seized. In the state of Tebessa, a criminal network was dismantled and 4,365 Roman coins prepared for smuggling were seized. An attempt to smuggle 1,352 antique coins that were in the possession of passengers at Houari Boumediene Airport was thwarted.
In the state of Constantine, 1,381 coins, 132 pieces of jewelry, and 13 statues were seized, in addition to metal detectors and excavation equipment.
