Transnational Crimes Against Culture

Abstract

Diversified transnational criminal activities coupled with broader geographic capabilities have turned the black and white line between the licit “upperworld” and the illicit underworld a murky shade of grey, and the illicit antiquities trade is no exception. This article highlights criminal dynamics of trafficking in looted antiquities from the perspective of the source end of the problem—that is, theft of antiquities from archaeological sites and their illicit export. Trafficking in antiquities is a crime of transnational proportions because it involves the illegal removal and export of cultural material from source countries, which supplies the demand generated from developed, rich, market economies.