US returns 30 stolen antiquities from Cambodia's historic sites

The United States has announced that it returned dozens of looted antiquities to Cambodia, including rare bronze and stone statues of Buddhist and Hindu deities carved more than 1,000 years ago. Damian Williams, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Ricky J. Patel, acting special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York, announced in a statement that Washington repatriated nearly 30 antiquities to the Kingdom of Cambodia, which were stolen as part of an organized looting network and sold by antiquities dealer, Douglas Latchford. 

The Bangkok-based antiquities dealer Douglas Latchford, also known as “Pakpong Kriangsak,” had sold the stolen artefacts in the Western art market for profits. 

Southeast Asian country’s archaeological sites Koh Ker, the capital of the ancient Khmer empire was widely looted and plundered during the civil war between the 1960s and 1990s. Cambodia’s government had also been demanding from the US government over several years to repatriate stolen antiquities that is often sold on the international market or auctioned. Among the antiquities that the US returned to Cambodia include the 10th Century sculpture of Skanda on a Peacock and a monumental 10th Century sculpture of Ganesha, both looted from the ancient Khmer capital Koh Ker. Cambodian Ambassador to the United States Keo Chhea received the antiquities during a ceremony at the US Attorney’s Office.

“These antiquities we return today were ripped from their country – beyond their extraordinary beauty and craftsmanship, many are sacred artefacts pried from temples and palaces to be smuggled across borders and peddled by those seeking profit, without any regard to the intangible value they have to the people of their homeland," said Patel.

Damian Williams, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Ricky J. Patel, acting special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York, announced the return of 30 antiquities to the Kingdom of Cambodia. Credit: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

US HSI hunted down leads

Acting special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) furthermore noted that for five years, the agents, and experts in HSI New York’s specialized dedicated Cultural Property, Arts, and Antiquities Unit, alongside the government partners, hunted down leads, examined origin, reviewing financial records, and conducted dozens of interviews to find and recover these pieces. They have now been finally returned to their country of origin. These artefacts belong to the people of Cambodia, said the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), adding that it is proud to participate in their recovery and their return home.

“We celebrate the return of Cambodia’s cultural heritage to the Cambodian people and reaffirm our commitment to reducing the illicit trafficking of art and antiquities,” said Williams. “It is with great pleasure that we send the Skanda on a Peacock and the rest of these artworks on the final leg of their journey home.”