Turkish Authorities Seize Hebrew Manuscript in Antiquities Bust, Highlighting Artifact Smuggling Issues
In Turkey's southern province of Gaziantep, authorities have seized a rare Hebrew manuscript inscribed in gold on python skin. The manuscript, approximately two meters long, was discovered rolled up inside a copper case with an embossed lid. It features a gold script and a peacock image at its center. A foreign national, identified only as A.E., was detained by the Gendarmerie General Command on suspicion of attempting to sell the manuscript on the black market. A.E. is also suspected of conducting illegal excavations, a common issue in Turkey. The Turkish Foreign Ministry emphasizes that smuggling historical and archaeological artifacts is a punishable offense, and recent years have seen intensified efforts to prevent such activities. 
