LONDON - Three British men have been found guilty of the theft of a precious Chinese Ming Dynasty vase worth US$2.5 million.
The vase, originally stolen from the Museum of Far Eastern Art in Geneva, Switzerland was successfully recovered through a meticulous police operation, Anadolu Agency reported citing the Metropolitan Police on Saturday.
"The men were arrested and charged in connection with the burglary in June 2019 of a Chinese Ming Dynasty Vase from the Museum of Far Eastern Art in Geneva," said the police in a statement.
The conviction followed a thorough four-year collaborative effort between the Metropolitan Police and Swiss law enforcement, which ultimately led to the vase's safe return to the Swiss museum.
The stolen artifact, a white porcelain 'vase,' intricately crafted during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, has a storied history spanning centuries.
"The white porcelain ‘vase’ which is actually a bottle of the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty has an interesting tale over its hundreds of years and this is another chapter. I’m glad we were able to return it to its rightful owners," Detective Chief Inspector Matt Webb said in the statement.
The convicted individuals, Mbaki Nkhwa (47), Kaine Wright (26), and David Lamming (31), were found guilty on Friday of conspiring to convert criminal property. The verdict was handed down at the Southwark Crown Court in London.
The investigation took root with a tip-off from an auction house in July 2020, reporting an anonymous person's claim regarding the vase's whereabouts and their intent to have it appraised. This prompted a strategic response from law enforcement, resulting in an undercover operation.
Undercover officials skilfully posed as prospective buyers, negotiating the purchase of the vase for British pound 450,000 (US$570,000). The operation reached its climax with a pivotal meeting at a central London hotel, where Nkhwa relinquished the stolen vase to law enforcement officers. Notably, this heist involved the theft of three artifacts from the Ming Dynasty during the 2019 burglary, collectively valued at an estimated British pound 3.5 million (US$4.45 million). Nkhwa, Wright, and Lamming will be sentenced Oct 13. - BERNAMA