Meaux (AFP) – A grower of the Marne was sentenced Friday to a customs fine of 197,235 euros for stealing hundreds of items on ancient archaeological sites east of the Ile-de-France.
The Criminal Court of Meaux (Seine-et-Marne) recognized this 60 years old man guilty of executing searches without authorization, product selling these searches and detention of archaeological objects . He was also sentenced to six months imprisonment.
His wife was initially charged with “concealment” was eventually sentenced to a criminal fine of 3,500 euros for “complicity”.
Between 2009 and 2012, producer keen champagne antique pieces had made dozens of excavations in the Marne, Aube and Seine-et-Marne, “a passion” that had nothing wrong according to him.
Denouncing a and “botched investigation” “truncated trial,” the couple’s lawyer immediately announced that he was appealing the decision.
” From the moment he was convicted, the penalty sought by Customs is automatic. This is an extremely hefty sum, totally disproportionate, “said AFP-Me Denis Tailly Eschenlohr.
The fine, based on the valuation of the property found at the vineyard, “has never been an against-expertise,” he said.
The couple He was arrested Feb. 5, 2012 in Seine-et-Marne during a routine traffic stop by customs who found his vehicle at 112 coins Roman times and opened an investigation.
At the hearing on July 29, the defendant, weathered complexion, graying hair, had explained that he was not “a highwayman.” “I was looking at the surface of the earth. Objects were there, there were only pick them up. I thought I was within the law”, he assured.
Accused of knowingly targeted the best sites in the region, including by performing a tracking plane, he tried to downplay the significance of his research, always made “with the consent of the owners” of the land concerned, but without the green light State
-. Legacy grandfather –
“It took away archaeologists their tools,” denounced the prosecutor. “He knew what he was doing was against the law,” he added, recalling a newspaper article about the “ravages” of archaeological looting was found at his home.
home, investigators also seized a genuine museum some 2,300 objects, coins, pottery, rings, necklaces, some looted from tombs
The winemaker. says part of the collection was discovered by his grandfather, who initiated and transmitted to her legacy. “It took me the weekend in the fields, they picked up the pieces,” he said.
On Friday, the court ordered the confiscation of the collection and its return to the state in this case the Ministry of Culture who was a civil party in this case.
According to Marc Drouet, deputy director of archeology at the Ministry of Culture, the Civil Party aimed “to remember that the law says that any search is subject to prior authorization.”
“We take note of the decision of the tribunal and the Return of Objects. According to the curator, they should be exposed at the Museum of National Archaeology, Saint-Germain-en-Laye “(Yvelines), has he said after the deliberation.
According to the Association to Stop the looting archaeological and historical heritage (Happah), at least 520,000 objects are looted every year in France. These flights, mainly objects from ancient times, and medieval Gallic, like coins, are actually about 45,000 prospectors equipped with metal detectors.
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