Police seize illegal archaeological finds on Costa Almeria

POLICE have seized nearly 500 items considered of archaeological interest with no documentation to show their legal origin which were dug up by a Roquetas de Mar metal detector enthusiast.
Officers from the Environment and Heritage Protection Group of the Police Unit Assigned to the Andalucia Autonomous Community in Almeria were made aware of the possible infringement of the law by the regional government’s territorial delegation with responsibility for heritage and culture.
An interview with the individual in question, along with inspections and an analysis by personnel from the Provincial Archaeological Museum, revealed he had pieces including an Arabian ‘hamsa’ amulet found in the Tabernas castle area.
Also among his finds were more than 250 Roman and Arab coins, medieval and Roman nails, pieces of metal with inscriptions, a Roman fish hook and a ceramic bowl.
The Andalucia Historic Heritage Law article only allows the controlled use of metal detectors: they can only be used on the region’s beaches with prior authorisation by the Culture and Historic Heritage regional ministry.