On 28 April 2026, the United States formally returned 657 stolen antiquities to India in New York. The returned objects were valued at nearly USD 14 million and included sculptures, idols and other cultural artefacts linked to international trafficking networks.
Antiquities trafficking and recovery
The restitution involved investigations into trafficking networks associated with alleged antiquities smuggler Subhash Kapoor and convicted trafficker Nancy Wiener. The Antiquities Trafficking Unit has recovered more than 6,200 cultural objects valued at over USD 485 million and has returned more than 5,900 items to 36 countries.
Notable artefacts repatriated
One major item was a bronze figure of Avalokiteshvara, valued at USD 2 million, crafted by Dronaditya of Sipur in Chhattisgarh and stolen from the Mahant Ghasidas Memorial Museum in Raipur. Another item was a red sandstone Buddha statue valued at USD 7.5 million, which Subhash Kapoor smuggled into New York. A sandstone idol of a dancing Ganesha, looted from a temple in Madhya Pradesh in 2000 by Kapoor associate Ranjeet “Shantoo” Kanwar, was also returned. India’s Consul General Binaya Pradhan and Consul Rajlakshmi Kadam attended the handover ceremony in New York.
Legal context
Subhash Kapoor was convicted in India in 2022 for trafficking offences, and his extradition to the United States remains pending. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg Jr. announced the return of the antiquities in New York.
Last Modified: April 30, 2026