'That's not your mummy'
2003-11-01 16:31
Cairo - An agriculture ministry undersecretary was among six people detained in a sting operation against illegal antiquities traders, Egyptian police said Friday.
The ring had tried to peddle a mummy from the classical period which they had unearthed in an unauthorised excavation in the Beni Sweif region, 120km south of Cairo, the police said.
A police officer had posed as a trader to trap the group.
In recent weeks, several senior officials have been implicated in antiquities smuggling in Egypt.
Earlier this month, a major smuggling ring was uncovered involving 28 people, including two Swiss nationals, two Germans and a Canadian. Twelve of the suspects remain at large.
- AFP