Belgium Investigates Brothers in Possible Trafficking of Looted Antiquities from Syria

Prosecutors take up customs probe into two bas-reliefs seized after they were sent to Brussels art fair

BRUSSELS—Belgian prosecutors say they are investigating whether two brothers trafficked antiquities that had been taken from Syria, escalating Belgium’s role in an international probe into the prominent dealers of ancient art.

Law enforcement and intelligence officials in the U.S. and elsewhere say antiquities have been looted from war-torn Syria and Iraq on a massive scale. But investigations demand patience, they say, because such artifacts take time to surface and confirming objects’ provenance can be difficult.

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