The Illicit traffic of cultural objects in the Mediterranean

The true scale of the contemporary illicit trade in cultural objects by its nature is not able to be properly quantified. However, there is an increasing awareness of the link between this trade and the drug and arms trade, corruption and money laudering. Recent civil and criminal litigation brought in US and European courts against officials of leading museums and art dealers have revealed that illegal trafficking from the Mediterranean region is far more significant than previously thought. This ongoing litigation also hightlights the dire need for reassessement, implementation and coordination of initiatives at the national and supranational levels to control this illegal traffic.