Customs officials discover pre-Columbian artifacts during check at Miami
International Airport

The Associated Press

Published: Tuesday, July 22, 2008 at 6:41 a.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, July 22, 2008 at 6:41 a.m.
MIAMI – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers have seized several
pre-Columbian artifacts indigenous to Ecuador.

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Alan Diaz/The Associated Press
Some of the artifacts recovered by federal authorities are shown in
Miami, Tuesday, July 8, 2008. Federal authorities in Miami have
recovered a treasure trove of pre-Columbian gold, artifacts and
emeralds, which were returned to the Colombian government. The treasures
will be handed over to authorities from the South American nation on
Tuesday. Federal authorities say the items were recovered from an
Italian citizen who was living in south Florida and illegally smuggling
them into the country.
The items will be returned to officials of the government of Ecuador for
repatriation on Tuesday.
The items were discovered during an inspection at the Miami
International Airport.