The Afghan ministry of information and culture stated that the ministry has received a piece of smuggled antiquity—belonging to Afghanistan—from Hong Kong. This Buddha statue, which belongs to the third or fourth centuries, was handed over to Mohammad Rasoul Bawari, the deputy director of the ministry, by Gabriel Shine.
Gabriel Shine said that he had gotten this statue few years ago but he didn’t get the opportunity to return it to the Ministry of Information and Culture earlier.
The statue is registered with UNESCO with picture of it copied in the catalogue of National Museum. Mr. Bawari said that the ministry is committed to return all smuggled antiquities to Afghanistan.
