U.S. court jails man for illegally importing ancient mosaic from Syria
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – A U.S. court sentenced on Thursday a man to three months in federal prison for illegally importing a large ancient Roman mosaic made in modern-day Syria.
The judge also ordered the mosaic to be forfeited to the government. Yassin Alcharihi, a 57 year old man from California, used fake documents to evade import taxes.
The mosaic floor, which depicts Hercules and other figures from Roman mythology and dates back to the Byzantine era of the Roman Empire, was reportedly stolen from Syria and smuggled through Turkey, according to federal prosecutors.
The mosaic arrived at the Port of Long Beach as part of a shipment from Turkey.
The piece was hidden in a shipping container behind a pile of vases and then shipped via truck to Alcharihi’s home after passing through customs.
Alcharihi was first convicted on July 1, 2023, for illegally importing the mosaic that is valued at almost half a million dollar.
Alcharihi’s false declarations about the mosaic came just months after the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution condemning the destruction of cultural heritage in Syria.
Since the Syrian war began in 2011, destruction by Islamic State (ISIS) and opportunistic looting has led to the loss of large swaths of artwork and archaeological artifacts.
In 2015, ISIS militants reportedly smashed six ancient statues, including one dating back to the second century.