THE HAGUE, THE NETHERLANDS—NBC News reports that an international operation led by Cypriot and Spanish police has resulted in the recovery of more than 3,500 stolen cultural objects—almost half of which were archaeological artifacts—and the arrest of 75 people suspected of activity in criminal networks. Several of the seized objects "are of great cultural importance in the archaeological world, such as a marble Ottoman tombstone and a post-Byzantine icon depicting Saint George," Europol said in a news release Monday. Among the recovered items were:

A total of 3,561 works of art and cultural items - about half of which were archaeological objects

19 items which had been stolen from an archaeological museum in Murcia, Spain - part of a haul of 500 found in the region

More than 400 coins from throughout history, found through "suspicious online advertisements"

Image copyright Europol Image caption Hundreds of coins were included in the haul

In addition to the 75 people who were arrested, Europol said that 92 new investigations had been opened as a result of the operation. The multi-national investigation — named Operation Pandora — started in October and the arrests began in November.
Following a joint police operation by Europol and Interpol last October and November across much of Europe, dubbed "Operation Pandora", more than 3,500 stolen artwork and artifacts are recovered, with 75 people arrested and 48,588 more being investigated.