Vietnam receives stolen bronze statue of the goddess Durga.

Việt Nam•14/09/2023

The bronze statue of the four-armed goddess Durga, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was stolen in 2008 from the My Son Sanctuary in Quang Nam province.

The statue was photographed in what appears to be a recently unearthed state, still covered in mud and minerals. (Source: U.S. Department of the Interior )

According to the VNA correspondent in London, on the afternoon of September 13th local time, a ceremony was held in London to receive a bronze statue of the four-armed goddess Durga, dating from the 7th century, measuring approximately 2 meters in length and weighing about 250 kg, from the family of the British illegal antiquities dealer Douglas Latchford.

The statue, recognized as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational , Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), was stolen in 2008 from the My Son Sanctuary in Quang Nam province.

This is the result of a lengthy investigation by the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) into the dealings of antique dealer Douglas Latchford in an effort to combat the illegal trade of antiquities, as well as active cooperation between the HSI and London Police to return the stolen artifacts to their country of origin.

Attending the reception were the Vietnamese Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Nguyen Hoang Long, Counselor To Minh Thu, and several other embassy staff members.

On the American side, there were HSI Agent JP Labbat and HSI Agent Robert Mancene, and Tim Hemker, HSI representative at the US Embassy in the UK.

On the London Police side, there was Inspector Sophie Hayes and her colleagues from the art and antiquities investigation unit.

Previously, on June 22, the US Department of Justice issued a statement resolving a civil lawsuit and confiscating $12 million from the sale of Southeast Asian artifacts stolen by antiquities dealer Douglas Latchford.

In the statement, the ministry said that in 2019, dealer Latchford was prosecuted for conspiracy to commit organized fraud and other charges, including selling stolen Cambodian antiquities on the international art market for decades.

Mr. Latchford forged certificates of origin, invoices, and shipping documents, as well as documents regarding the country of origin and the year of excavation of the artwork.

Between 2003 and 2020, Latchford received over $12 million in payments for selling stolen and smuggled antiquities from Southeast Asia to buyers and dealers in the United States, subsequently transferring at least $12 million to bank accounts in Jersey Island (part of the United Kingdom).

In 2008 and 2009, Latchford used the proceeds from the sale of stolen and smuggled antiquities to purchase the bronze statue of the goddess Durga.

After Mr. Latchford's death in 2020, his daughter, Julia Copleston, inherited from her father more than 125 statues, gold artifacts that authorities allege were stolen from Cambodia, as well as money.

In the settlement agreement, Ms. Copleston agreed to return $12 million, as well as to hand over the bronze statue of the goddess Durga, which her father had purchased with illegal funds and which is currently stored in England.

According to information HSI obtained from Mr. Latchford's bank records and email correspondence, he traveled to Vietnam in November 2008 to purchase an artwork and instructed his bank employees to deposit approximately $2 million into the bank account of someone with a Vietnamese email address.

In January 2009, Mr. Latchford emailed an antiquities dealer a photograph below of the bronze statue of the goddess Durga lying on its back, still covered in dust and minerals, as if it had just been unearthed. Mr. Latchford identified My Son in Vietnam as the site where the statue of the goddess Durga was found.

In the announcement, HSI Agent Ivan J. Arvelo stated that Latchford was a dealer in stolen antiquities, engaging in numerous illegal transactions over decades and profiting millions of dollars from buyers and antiquities dealers in the United States.

Immediately after receiving information from the Vietnamese Embassy in the US, the Vietnamese Embassy in the UK contacted the UK Foreign Office and other relevant authorities to discuss the statue.

On August 8th, the Embassy worked with a delegation of inspectors from the London Police to share information and discuss the procedures for transferring the bronze statue to Vietnam.

On August 16th, the Embassy surveyed the current condition of the four-armed bronze statue of the goddess Durga and worked with representatives of the statue's current owner, the storage and transportation company, and archaeological and restoration experts to conduct a preliminary assessment and develop a plan for its reception and transportation.

At the handover ceremony, Ambassador Nguyen Hoang Long expressed his emotion and gratitude for witnessing this very special moment when a precious national treasure was returned to Vietnam.

Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Nguyen Hoang Long and HSI Special Agent JP Labbat are inspecting the statue before receiving it. (Photo: Hai Van/Vietnam+)

On behalf of the Vietnamese Government, Ambassador Nguyen Hoang Long expressed gratitude to HSI and the London Police for their effective cooperation in ensuring the smooth and timely handover ceremony. He emphasized that the return of the statue took place in a very special context, as Vietnam and the UK had just celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations (September 11th) and Vietnam and the US had just upgraded their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (September 10th) during President Joe Biden's recent visit. This event will contribute to further deepening relations between the two sides.

Representing the US side, Tim Hemker stated that transnational criminal organizations are constantly seeking ways to steal cultural artifacts, posing a significant threat to cultures that possess these valuable items. When sold on the black market, these artifacts are never appreciated for their true value. Therefore, the return of the artifacts today is a beautiful and proud moment. HSI will continue its investigative efforts to uncover illegal antiquities trafficking rings and return them to their rightful owners.

On the London police side, Inspector Sophie Hayes stated that the return of the Durga statue to Vietnam was a special event. Security investigation units, and especially special agents, had worked tirelessly for many years to recover the stolen cultural property.

Inspector Haynes also emphasized that this is a special occasion to celebrate the 2023 Friendship Year, as the UK and Vietnam celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations.

According to information provided by agent JP. Labbat at the ceremony, based on documents recovered from antiquities theft and smuggling groups, the Statue of the Goddess Durga was initially offered for sale to a buyer in the United States for $20 million, but the deal fell through when the buyer withdrew.

Years later, according to a document in England, antiquities smugglers had driven the statue's value up to $35 million on the black market.

Agent Labbat believes this is a very rare and valuable statue, over 1,300 years old, that needs special preservation and storage.

The bronze statue is currently preserved in a specialized room in London and is in relatively good condition when viewed with the naked eye from the outside.

Based on the clothing and jewelry patterns on the statue, archaeologists believe it could be a statue of a queen or empress. The statue currently shows some chips and cracks near the ears, some fingers, and the right foot.

Following the handover, Ambassador Nguyen Hoang Long stated that the Embassy will closely coordinate with domestic authorities, the storage and transportation company, and the insurance company to ensure the safe transportation of the statue back to Vietnam.

A bronze statue of the goddess Durga, dating from the 7th century, was stolen from the My Son Sanctuary in Quang Nam province. (Source: US Department of the Interior)

According to Vietnam+ (VNA)

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