Thwarted attempt to smuggle antique diving equipment

Polish border guards have foiled a smuggling of antique items at one of the Polish-Ukrainian border crossings in the Podkarpackie voivodeship. Among the 76 smuggled objects were cameras, black-and-white photos, watches, documents, belts and elements of equipment of a classical diver.

Customs and Fiscal Service officers from the Customs and Fiscal Office in Przemyśl, while controlling a car trying to enter Poland, discovered a large number of antique items, some of which were dated back to World War II. The whole situation took place at the border crossing point in Medyka, in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship.

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During a routine check of the vehicle, border guards came across unusual items including black and white photographs, documents, cameras and classic diver’s boots and helmet. The control resulted in finding 76 objects, which were qualified as smuggled goods of historical value. The car with Polish registration numbers was driven by a 32-year-old citizen of Ukraine.

The 32-year-old driver and the 54-year-old passenger of the stopped car, both citizens of Ukraine, admitted to smuggling. In their explanations given to customs officers, they explained that the objects were partly their property and partly handed over to them to be transported across the border. According to the findings of the Polish services, the artifacts were supposed to end up in Italy.

After completion of procedures which establish the age and historical value of the objects, they will most probably be sent to a museum indicated by the Voivodeship Conservator of Antiquities.

The Customs and Fiscal Service takes special care of cultural heritage. Last year, during controls at Podkarpackie border crossings, officers foiled the smuggling of 425 antique items. In most cases, antiques were attempted to be smuggled into Poland through the border crossing point in Medyka.

Source: podkarpackie.kas.gov.pl