Greece Investigates Seized Antiquities

Prosecutors are investigating whether nearly 300 antiquities seized from a villa on a remote island last week are connected to an ongoing dispute between the Greek government and the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, the culture minister said Tuesday.

Last week's discovery was one of the biggest illegal antiquities cases in recent years, and police suspect international smuggling rings were involved, Giorgos Voulgarakis said.

However, he said there was no evidence yet supporting media reports of a link between the police raids and a dispute between Greece and the Getty Museum. Greece is seeking the return of four ancient artifacts from the museum, arguing that they were illegally exported.

"It is too early to draw conclusions," Voulgarakis said. "Greek prosecutors are investigating the possible illegal acts linked with the presence in the Getty of the Greek antiquities."