YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–The State Customs Committee of Armenia recently prevented the attempt of illegal export of a marble sculpture and an icon to Russia–which are of historic and cultural value. The Anti-Smuggling department of Zvartnots Airport– finding out that an illegal export of cultural values from the country was being arranged–decided not to interfere in order to find out the addressee. The customs officers of the Vnukovo Airport were informed about it–who detained the cargo and found out that its addressee is the representative of the Armenian Airlines in Moscow–Karen Avagian.
The confiscated cargo was examined in the Ministry of Culture of Russia which revealed that the icon and the sculpture of a woman’s figure made from white marble–dates back to last century and is of European origin. Their value was estimated at $4,100.
The State Customs Committee’s Press Service told Noyan Tapan that an investigation has started to reveal the details of the case.