In the letter he wrote to UN Security Council, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin explains the main workings of ISIS’ distribution network of historic artifacts stolen from Syria.

Details of the trade between ISIS and Turkish companies were laid bare in the letter published on UN’s website.

Some of the information in the letter is as follows:

“The sale of historic artifacts ISIS steals from Syria and Iraq is conducted mainly in Turkey. Turkey’s city of Gaziantep has become the largest center of the illegal trade of cultural heritage. These stolen artifacts are illegally auctioned and sold over a network of antique shops and in Bakırcılar Çarşısı (Coppersmiths Bazaar, Şekeroğlu Neighborhood, Eski Saray Avenue).”

Churkin, stating new sales points have emerged on the Turkey-Syria border, continues: “The delivery of large items is done by Turkish freight companies such as Şenocak Nakliyat, Devran Nakliyat, Karahan Nakliyat and Egemen Nakliyat. The stolen artifacts are then taken to Turkey’s other cities like İzmir, Mersin and Antalya and in these cities representatives from international criminal organisations forge origin documents.”