by Redazione 15/10/2026

The Carabinieri of the Cultural Heritage Protection Unit carried out eight searches coordinated by the Verona District Attorney’s Office. The investigation uncovered an organized network of illegal excavations and the illicit sale of ancient coins, with distribution channels both online and on the local numismatic market.

Operation Eridanos led to the dismantling of a criminal network involved in illegal archaeological excavations and the illicit trafficking of ancient artifacts and coins. In recent days, the Carabinieri of the Cultural Heritage Protection Unit (TPC) in Rome, with the support of colleagues from the units in Venice, Udine, Monza, and Bologna, as well as the provincial commands of the Carabinieri in Verona, Rovigo, Mantua, and Rimini, executed eight search warrants against eight individuals believed to be responsible, in various capacities, for the theft and receipt of stolen cultural property and for conducting unauthorized archaeological excavations.

This operation marks the final phase of a complex investigation coordinated by the Verona Public Prosecutor’s Office, which began in March 2026 following online monitoring by the Carabinieri of the TPC in Rome. The Carabinieri had identified suspicious activity by a user on a well-known online marketplace, where listings with generic descriptions were posted to disguise illicit transactions. Through this system, the suspect was able to anonymously ship batches of freshly excavated ancient coins to Italian and foreign buyers, thereby circumventing applicable regulations.

A decisive step in unraveling the organization occurred on June 15, 2026, when a search conducted by the Carabinieri of the TPC Unit at the user’s residence led to the discovery and seizure of various archaeological artifacts and technical equipment used for the excavations. Subsequent investigations revealed a structured network in which each member performed a specific task: from the so-called “tomb raiders,” who were physically responsible for the clandestine excavations, to the intermediaries and fences who handled the distribution and sale of the artifacts.

The excavations were concentrated primarily in the Verona and Mantua areas and along the Canal Bianco waterway in the Rovigo area. The activities were preceded by careful planning: group members consulted specialized historical publications and cross-referenced the information with GPS coordinates to identify ancient sites not yet subject to preservation restrictions. The searches were conducted at night, using metal detectors and specialized excavation equipment. The organization could also count on the collaboration of several local informants, tasked with reporting recently plowed farmland—considered particularly suitable for finding artifacts—and identifying less-monitored areas where it was easier to evade law enforcement checks.

In addition to sales through digital platforms, investigators identified a second distribution channel linked to the local numismatic market. The archaeological material was, in fact, delivered to a business in the Mantua area, which reportedly served as a hub for appraising, storing, and selling the illicit artifacts, helping to conceal their origin. The operation led to the recovery of a substantial collection of artifacts of archaeological interest. Among these are 400 mosaic tiles believed to be part of a Roman-era mosaic floor and 311 ancient coins, made of various metals and in various sizes. A bronze sculpture depicting Jupiter, a male deity of the Roman pantheon, was also recovered.

The seized material also includes 489 archaeological artifacts made of metal and clay, including fibulae, studs, rings, and ceramic fragments, as well as 30 worked flints of archaeological interest. Finally, during the operation, the equipment used in the illegal excavations was seized: five metal detectors, three pinpointers—devices used to locate metal objects detected in the ground with greater precision—and various excavation tools.

Verona: A network of grave robbers has been dismantled; over 800 archaeological artifacts have been seized

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