U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services
April 23, 2003
ICE AGENTS SEIZE ART, GOLD-PLATED WEAPONS & OTHER ITEMS LOOTED FROM IRAQ IN SEPARATE ACTIONS
Fox News Employee Charged In One Case; Looted Art Seized From Other Media Reps
WASHINGTON, DC—The Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, today announced that as part Operation Iraqi Heritage it has seized 15 paintings, a cache of gold-plated weapons and other items looted from Iraq that were being transported into this country. To date, one criminal complaint has been filed. Many of these incidents have involved cooperative efforts between ICE and the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
“Today, ICE is serving notice to anyone who attempts to smuggle looted Iraqi art, antiquities, weapons, or other materials into the United States,” said Michael J Garcia, acting Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “These items are not souvenirs or ‘war trophies,’ but stolen goods that belong to the people of Iraq. We will use the full authority of the law to investigate and bring to justice those engaged in this reprehensible activity.”
Robert C. Bonner, Commissioner of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection said: “At my direction, our inspectors have been on alert for stolen Iraqi art, artifacts, and other property. We have a long history of intercepting property belonging to other countries and returning it to the lawful or rightful owners. These seizures should serve as a warning to anyone who would take advantage of the transition currently underway in the newly liberated Iraq.”
ICE has initiated Operation Iraqi Heritage to identify cultural items looted from Iraq, detain and seize such items, authenticate their value, and prosecute those involved in transporting the goods. ICE is working closely with the CBP, the Department of State, the Department of Justice, Interpol, and other entities in this initiative. The operation initiative is being coordinated through the ICE CyberSmuggling Center in Virginia, which will support ICE investigative and enforcement actions in the field.
In addition, ICE has a team of special agents embedded with the U.S. military in the Middle East as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. ICE agents are currently on the ground in Baghdad working with local art curators to inventory items looted from the Iraqi national museum. ICE is also assisting in the probe of the estimated $650 million worth of U.S. currency recently seized in Iraq.
Below are highlights of some of the recent enforcement actions taken by ICE special agents in connection with looted Iraqi artwork and properties:
- On April 18, Her Majesty’s Customs & Excise Service (UK) notified the U.S. Embassy (Attaché Office) in London that it had intercepted a shipment of smuggled, ornamental weapons at Heathrow Airport that were sent from the Middle East and bound for a U.S. military base. ICE agents launched an investigation with the Army Criminal Investigations Division (Army CID) and determined that the goods had been looted from an Iraqi government facility by a member of the U.S. military. The package contained a gold-plated AK-47, a gold-plated pistol, a gold-plated rifle, and several ornamental swords, knives, and other pistols. On April 21, ICE and Army CID agents seized the material upon arrival in the United States and conducted a controlled delivery of the items to a U.S. military base. The investigation continues.
- Yesterday, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia issued a criminal complaint against Fox News technician, Benjamin J. Johnson, 27, for unlawfully smuggling goods into the U.S. and making false statements. According to the complaint, Johnson arrived at Dulles International Airport in Virginia on April 17 aboard a flight from London connecting from Qatar. Upon arrival, Johnson presented a sworn declaration to CBP inspectors stating that he had no items to declare other than $20 worth of cigarettes. CBP inspectors conducted a search of Johnson’s luggage and discovered 12 Iraqi paintings, undeclared Iraqi bonds, and an identification badge from the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait. ICE agents launched an investigation. According to the complaint, Johnson initially told ICE agents the paintings had been given to him by people on the streets of Baghdad, but later admitted that this story was false. According the complaint, Johnson acknowledged to ICE agents that he had personally taken several of the paintings from Iraqi presidential palaces (including the residence of Uday Hussein) and had bartered with a U.S. soldier for two others. ICE agents notified the U.S. Attorney and began consulting the ICE CyberSmuggling Center and independent experts to assess the value of the art. While the historical value of the paintings is deemed to be negligible, they are believed to have considerable resale value given their ties to Saddam Hussein. Regardless of their value, they are the property of the Iraqi people.
- The above-mentioned investigation immediately yielded leads for ICE agents about others who may be smuggling stolen Iraqi artworks and materials into the United States. Based on these leads, ICE agents alerted CBP inspectors in Boston to be on the lookout for a particular individual. On April 19, ICE and CBP officials intercepted a looted Iraqi painting, a wall ornament, and other items from Iraq that a Boston Herald reporter was carrying when he arrived at Logan International Airport. The items were seized.
- Further investigative leads turned up by ICE resulted in another seizure at Dulles International Airport. On April 19, ICE and CBP officials intercepted an Iraqi painting and other goods that another U.S. reporter was bringing into the country. All the items were seized. The ICE investigation continues.
- April 21, CBP inspectors at Dulles International Airport intercepted additional Iraqi items from several members of the media. Among other things, CBP inspectors seized a painting, a gold-plated emblem, a gun holster, a knife and other items. The ICE investigation continues.
ICE is the investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. Backed by a workforce of nearly 14,000, including some 5,500 criminal investigators, ICE ranks as one of the largest investigative agencies in the federal government. ICE’s mission encompasses a broad array of enforcement authorities, ranging from illegal arms dealing, money laundering, and child pornography to immigration fraud and migrant smuggling.
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