Three years in a Turkish prison for a holiday souvenir?

A British citizen got himself into a lot of trouble while on holiday. His carelessness could land him in a Turkish prison for three years! This is because of a souvenir he picked up while diving, which he decided to take back to the British Isles.

Card driver Toby Robyns, 52, was arrested at the airport as he, along with his wife and two sons, were already heading for their return flight from holiday. The family of the detainee, who had to watch, were horrified. It was all because of the coins that the Briton had found in his hand luggage during a dive, which were discovered by customs officials.

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The arresting officer was informed that the coins found with him were historical artefacts and constituted a historical monument. As a result, the British ambulance driver was charged with ‘finding Turkish antiquities and failing to inform the authorities’. A similar offence in that country, is punishable by up to three years’ imprisonment.

From the information we can find in the media, not much of the whole situation is changed by the unawareness of the act committed. Toby Robyns found 13 gold coins, which he planned to take home as a souvenir. In the area where the Briton spent his holidays, there are about 25 wrecks dating back to the period between the 4th and 16th century.

When diving abroad, it is worth to find out about the local regulations, and it is certainly worth notifying the local authorities of a similar find. Our ‘souvenir from holidays’ may turn out to be an exceptionally valuable treasure, which, if handed over to archaeologists, will lead them to an interesting place, and not put us in prison.

Source: thesun.co.uk