Smuggled fossils worth thousands of pounds recovered from trader in Scarborough returned to Brazil

The 33 insect fossils that are worth thousands of pounds were returned to Brazil from a trader in Scarborough as part of an international investigation by North Yorkshire Police.

The Embassy of Brazil thanked the force and said their return marked “a significant milestone in the protection of our natural and cultural heritage”.

The investigation into the artefacts, which originated from Brazil’s Araripe Basin, began last year when they were identified by the Cultural and Heritage Department of Brazil as being illegally exported.

The Araripe Basin is the biggest fossil site in the country and is hailed as one of the most valuable in the world, making it a target for the international fossil black market.

Brazilian authorities asked North Yorkshire Police, via Interpol, to investigate the items on sale in the force’s area.

The case was accepted by North Yorkshire Police’s Force Intelligence Bureau.

The team includes International Liaison Officers, who more often work with overseas authorities to track down and extradite fugitives.

The investigation was led by international liaison officer PC Bradley Hay, which resulted in the fossils being handed over.

The North Yorkshire dealer who owned them thought they were legitimate and had not committed any offences.

They were then repatriated to Brazil with the aid of the nation’s embassy when PC Hay delivered them to Brazilian authorities in London.

PC Hay said: “The Brazilian authorities were absolutely delighted with the result of the investigation and are flying the fossils home to be shown in a museum.

“This was clearly a departure from tracking down North Yorkshire’s fugitives who try to flee overseas.

“But it’s been rewarding to use our international law enforcement network to repatriate these unique and irreplaceable artefacts that are part of Brazil’s natural heritage.”

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The fossils were verified by experts at a Brazilian paleontological museum.

The successful operation took place through the collaboration of Brazil’s Ministry of Justice and Public Security, the Office of the Prosecutor General, and the Foreign Ministry alongside the UK Home Office and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

This year, the same team at North Yorkshire Police returned a hoard of ancient artefacts to Cyprus after they turned up in the country.

The force launched an investigation with Cypriot authorities after dozens of Roman Greco vases, gold jewellery, bowls and other small items appeared for sale.

Several prehistoric items including axe heads from the neolithic period and ornamental fragments of ancient Cyprian jewellery dating back to around 400BC were also put on the market.

Their collective value was around £6,000 and Interpol believed they had been exported illegally.