05 May 2024,   07:28
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Turkish police uncovered hundreds of ancient artifacts in anti-smuggling raids

Turkish police uncovered hundreds of ancient artifacts in anti-smuggling raids - including multiple shrunken human heads.

Acting on a tip, police in Izmir raided a home Dec. 13 and seized 400 relics, Reuters reported.

An initial search unveiled 19 Ottoman manuscripts, four bone hairpins, various Byzantine-era coins and 59 other assorted artifacts from various historical periods. Following the wildly successful raid, the operation was expanded and the anti-smuggling team went on to uncover four shrunken human heads - with skin and hair - plus three mummies and 27 18th-century paintings, among 269 other relics, some dating back to the prehistoric period.

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