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Antiquities looted from India end up at Honolulu museum

Marc Thomas, chief preparator at the Honolulu Museum of Art, holds one of seven stolen artifacts that were on display in the museum’s collection, Tuesday, March 31, 2015 in Honolulu. An international investigation into antiquities looted from India and smuggled into the United States has taken authorities to the Honolulu Museum of Art, which handed over the rare artifacts that it acquired without museum officials realizing they were ill-gotten items. Agents from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are taking the items back to New York and from there, eventually returning them to the government of India. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)
Marc Thomas, chief preparator at the Honolulu Museum of Art, holds one of seven stolen artifacts that were on display in the museum’s collection, Tuesday, March 31, 2015 in Honolulu. An international investigation into antiquities looted from India and smuggled into the United States has taken authorities to the Honolulu Museum of Art, which handed over the rare artifacts that it acquired without museum officials realizing they were ill-gotten items. Agents from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are taking the items back to New York and from there, eventually returning them to the government of India. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones) Marc Thomas, chief preparator at the Honolulu Museum of Art, holds one of seven stolen artifacts that were on display in the museum’s collection, Tuesday, March 31, 2015 in Honolulu. An international investigation into antiquities looted from India and smuggled into the United States has taken authorities to the Honolulu Museum of Art, which handed over the rare artifacts that it acquired without museum officials realizing they were ill-gotten items. Agents from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are taking the items back to New York and from there, eventually returning them to the government of India. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones)

By Associated Press 3 min read

HONOLULU (AP) – An international investigation into antiquities looted from India and smuggled into the United States has taken authorities to the Honolulu Museum of Art.

The museum on Wednesday is handing over seven rare artifacts that it acquired without museum officials realizing they were ill-gotten items. Agents from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will take the items back to New York and from there, eventually return them to the government of India.

U.S. customs agents say the items were taken from religious temples and ancient Buddhist sites, and then allegedly smuggled to the United States by an art dealer. The dealer, Subhash Kapoor, was arrested in 2011 and is awaiting trial in India. Officials say Kapoor created false provenances for the illicit antiquities.

Last year, an antique sculpture was handed over to Indian diplomats at a Manhattan ceremony.

The investigation is dubbed “Operation Hidden Idol,” involving four arrests and the recovery of thousands of pieces worth $150 million.