Swat police have thwarted an audacious bid to smuggle valuable antiques out of the country.

The operation resulted in the arrest of the perpetrators and the recovery of a multitude of ancient artifacts worth millions of rupees.

The breakthrough came when the diligent officers of Ghaligay Police, led by Station House Officer Roshan Ali, conducted routine checking at the Landakay Checkpost.

During the inspection, a suspicious vehicle was stopped for a thorough search.

In the vehicle, there were hidden places within the car that concealed a treasure trove of centuries-old antiques.

In-Charge of Landakay Checkpost, Taj Muhammad Khan, and Deputy Director of the Department of Archaeology, Malakand Division, Faizur Rehman, SHO Roshan Ali revealed in a press conference that the recovered antiques encompassed a wide array of items, including ancient coins, tools, and decorative pieces.

They said that the significance and historical value of these artifacts are immense, with some dating back as far as four thousand years before Christ.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that the smugglers intended to transport the antiques to China through the Gilgit-Baltistan region.

The arrested suspect, identified as Ghulam Jilani, a resident of Quetta, has been taken into custody for failing to provide proper ownership documents for the antiques.

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A case has been registered against him under the Antiquities Act of 2106, a law that strictly prohibits the theft and illegal export of national heritage.

Deputy Director Faizur Rehman emphasized that the recovered artifacts include both authentic and replicated pieces, emphasizing that the possession and trafficking of both types are considered offenses under the Antiquities Act.