Profit from the illegal trade of these antiques is estimated at $ 150-200 million a year.
“In Gaziantep there are elements that contribute to the large-scale smuggling of antiquities. Firstly, in the city, of course, there is a wealthy section of the population with a highly developed tradition of collecting and keeping private museums. Accordingly, it contributes to the illegal trade of material values and historical artifacts,” archaeologist and lecturer at the University of Gaziantep, Eyup Ay, told Sputnik.
