Lebanon returns 37 artefacts smuggled out of Egypt

Lebanon returns 37 Egyptian antiquities seized from Beirut port in 2020, after investigations confirm Egyptian ownership, with officials highlighting cooperation between states in preserving humanity’s heritage.

By AFP

2 HOURS AGO

Lebanon returns 37 artefacts smuggled out of Egypt

Illegally smuggled artifacts that date back to the Egyptian pharaonic era are seen on display at the National Museum of Beirut on September 16, 2026, during a ceremony held to mark their handover back to Egypt. (AFP)

BEIRUT: Lebanon on Wednesday returned to Egypt dozens of pharaonic artefacts that had been seized from the Beirut port years earlier.

"Thirty-seven antiquities... were seized from Beirut port in 2020, having arrived from an Arab port," Lebanese Culture Minister Ghassan Salameh said during a handover ceremony at the Beirut national museum.

"After investigating the identity and ownership of these items, it was determined that they belonged to Egypt," he added.

Five of the items were on display at the ceremony, including masks made of fabric, wood and clay.

"Cooperation between states... contributes to preserving humanity's heritage," Egyptian ambassador Alaa Moussa said at the ceremony.

Laura Salloum, an official with Lebanon's directorate of antiquities, told AFP that at the time of their seizure, the items were stored in a single container.

They "had been purchased by a Lebanese national without any official documentation regarding their source -- namely, Egypt," she said.

Antiquities smuggling is common in Egypt. Over the past decade, Cairo has recovered nearly 30,000 archaeological artefacts, according to officials.

Lebanon returns 37 artefacts smuggled out of Egypt

PM Sharif condemns attempted drone attack on Makkah, urges restraint

Pakistan condemns Indian naval maneuvers as violation of agreements