• It was during the launch of an archaeological dig on the wreck of the ship

    Fort Royal 1

    , off the coast of Cannes, that "significant, recent and still ongoing looting" was noted, authorities had alerted in April. .

  • People involved in the theft of many remains dating from the 2nd century BC have been arrested and many amphoras have been found.

The prefecture of the Mediterranean and the Ministry of Culture denounced the “ransacking of a major heritage site”.

After the looting of a wreck dating from the 2nd century BC, discovered during an excavation operation north of the Lérins Islands, not far from Cannes, the maritime gendarmerie announces this Wednesday that the alleged perpetrators have been found. .

“A surveillance system” and “investigations”, set up and launched on April 19, made it possible “to quickly identify several individuals residing in the Alpes-Maritimes department and scuba diving enthusiasts”, indicates she in a press release, without specifying the number of people involved.

According to

Nice-Matin

, a father and his son were notably arrested.

Remains of several wrecks?

In any case, the arrests took place on May 9.

And searches, carried out in a garage, were successful.

The gendarmes thus discovered 68 amphorae, 64 amphorae necks, 24 broken amphorae, four antique tiles, and various fragments of amphorae, antique and modern ceramics.

Some remains of which could also come from wrecks other than that of

Fort Royal 1

, discovered in 2017 at a depth of 19 m north of Île Sainte-Marguerite, opposite the city of Cannes.

"Additional analyzes are continuing to confirm the origin of the amphoras seized and their destination", indicates the gendarmerie.

Boats and diving equipment seized

In the meantime, two boats as well as diving equipment used in the commission of the facts have also been seized and the investigations are continuing.

Those arrested were released and the antiquities found were entrusted to the Department of Underwater and Underwater Archaeological Research (Drassm) “in order to be packaged and preserved”.

In addition to their pecuniary value (2,000 euros per unit for resale), these amphoras “contain very valuable data for scientists who study the history of the Mediterranean”.

And, because of this looting, "the loss of scientific and historical information is probably major," lamented the Drassm.

An investigation opened after the looting of a millennial wreck in Cannes

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