In an ongoing effort to shed its reputation as a global hub for unlawful art commerce, New York officials handed back approximately $3.5 million worth of stolen antiquities to Italy on Tuesday.

During a formal ceremony in New York, investigators returned 42 remarkable artifacts, some dating back 2,500 years, to Italian authorities.

The restitution was acknowledged in a statement by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

Bragg stated, “We continue to reverse the harm caused by decades of well-coordinated smuggling networks trafficking in Italian antiquities.”

He highlighted that over 200 antiquities have been repatriated to Italy since assuming office in 2022.

Commander Vincenzo Molinese of Italy’s Carabinieri Art Squad lauded the investigation’s triumph, attributing it to the collaborative efforts of the United States and Italy.

Among the artifacts reclaimed was a vase originating from the Apulia region in southern Italy, dating back to 335 BC.

This vessel, used for blending water and wine, had been pilfered from a burial site and illicitly transported overseas by Giacomo Medici, a notorious dealer in Italian antiquities.

After passing through London, the vase was seized from a private collection in New York last month.

New York prosecutors have been actively repatriating looted pieces since 2017, encompassing artifacts plundered from approximately 20 countries during the 1970s and 1990s.

These recoveries span a diverse range, including items from ancient Greece, the Roman and Byzantine eras, Iraq, China, India, and Southeast Asia.