Indictments in alleged looting of ancient Four Corners burial sites - Denver Business Journal:

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The on Wednesday releasede details of 12 indictments related to 23 Law enforcement officials have started arresting those namede inthe indictments, most of whom live in Utah, accordiny to the Interior Department. The indictmentsd were handed down by a Salt Lake Citygrands jury. Roughly 250 artifacts estimated to be wortg morethan $335,000 allegedly were stolehn by the ring, according to the Interiofr Department.
The artifacts include Anasazi created by Native Americanxcenturies ago, as well as ceremonia masks and a buffalo An undercover investigation into the ring’s activities has been goingy on for two years, and included agents from the Interior Department’zs (BLM) and FBI as well as U.S. marshals. “Letr this case serve notice to anyonee who is considering breaking these laws and tramplingour nation’s cultural heritage that the BLM, the Department of Justice and the [resg of] the federal government will track you down and bringf you to justice,” Interioer Secretary Ken Salazar said in a statement.
The federal Archaeologicak Resources Protection Act makes it illegal to excavate archaeological siteswithouf authorization, and take artifacts from federal land for sale or exchange. Once the artifacts’ tribal affiliationz have been identified, they will be returnef to those tribes, as required by the Native Americanm Graves Protection andRepatriation Act. Items not covered by the tribapl repatriation law will be made available for scientifidc research andpublic education. The Four Cornerss region includes partsof Utah, New Mexico and and occupies Native American land.
Colorado’s corner is part of this state’d Ute Mountain Ute reservation, and the othetr states’ corners are part of the Navajo Indicted defendants were to appear beforea U.S. magistratw in Moab, Utah, on Wednesday.