The UCO recovers 62 cultural assets in Italy illegally removed by a German couple.

The Civil Guard has recovered 62 cultural assets valued at more than three million euros that a German couple living in Marbella (Málaga) had illegally smuggled from Spain to Italy.

Among these works is an important altarpiece, which prompted the opening of the operation, as well as several Renaissance panels, some of them triptychs, and pieces attributed to Amadeo Modigliani , Auguste Rodin , and Brueghel . The fate of these works has been determined by the Ministry of Culture .

The Civil Guard has reported that these assets have been recovered after more than two years of investigation in a joint operation with the Carabinieri 's Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage and in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture.

Operation Altarpiece began in June 2023 when the Carabinieri informed the Civil Guard through Europol of the seizure of a first polychrome wooden altarpiece from the early 16th century in a mansion on Lake Maggiore, in Lesa (Italy).

The Historical Heritage Section of the Central Operative Unit (UCO) confirmed the illegal export of the altarpiece, which had been denied in 2018 by the Ministry of Culture , when its departure from the country was formally requested by its owners, the German couple based in Marbella .

After this, they discovered that more than 90 works of art had been exported from Marbella to Italy using the services of a transport company that did not specialize in this type of object.

Many of the works were in the same Italian house where the altarpiece was found, as well as in art galleries and private homes in Genoa and Milan, although others had already been sold and exported from Italy to other countries.

The investigation was led by Marbella's Investigating Court No. 1, which sought the restitution of the works under investigation, which are located in other countries. Indeed, a restitution ceremony for these cultural assets was held this Thursday at the Sabauda Gallery in Turin.

The Civil Guard has recovered 62 cultural assets valued at more than three million euros that a German couple living in Marbella (Málaga) had illegally smuggled from Spain to Italy.

Among these works is an important altarpiece, which prompted the opening of the operation, as well as several Renaissance panels, some of them triptychs, and pieces attributed to Amadeo Modigliani , Auguste Rodin , and Brueghel . The fate of these works has been determined by the Ministry of Culture .

The Civil Guard has reported that these assets have been recovered after more than two years of investigation in a joint operation with the Carabinieri 's Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage and in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture.