The Armed Forces abort an attempt to smuggle antiquities

5th March

At the check point in the entrance of Hurghada, two persons tried to turn around and run away so the Army officer chased and stopped them before he searched their car where he found a Pharaonic statue of a woman sitting on the throne covered in dust in sack.
The two are from Luxor. Mohammed Mahmoud EL Maghrabi, 25 years old, works in a Bazaar and the other is Husseim Mohammed Ibrahim,45 years old, works as a doorman near the Sheraton.
They were on the way to sell the statue to a foreigner in Hurghada. The car was confiscated and the statue has been sent to the Supreme Council of Antiquities. Both of the smugglers are expected to attend a military trial.