"Terrorism financing is another area of our concern and quite often cultural heritage, for example you know what is happening in Iraq and Syria, Daesh just destroyed that cultural heritage to deprive the people of their cultural identity and also smuggle out," Mikuriya told a press conference on the 76th session of the WCO Policy Commission held in Moscow December 5-7.
He added that the United Nations and other international organizations had been urging WCO to enhance countering terrorism financing implemented through borders and customs.
Large-scale looting of antiquities begun in Syria after the country plunged into a civil war in 2011. Syria’s world historical sites have suffered significant damage from terrorist groups such as the Daesh, banned in Russia and many other countries, which is smuggling a significant number of antiquities out of the country.
