Egyptian Mummy Artifacts Seized at U.S./Canada Border

Not sure archaeologists ever thought of searching vehicles for ancient artifacts but that is what U.S. border officials did at a Michigan bridge.

According to WOOD, someone tried to drive a truck from Canada across Michigan's Blue Water Bridge and smuggle some ancient Egyptian mummy linens. There is no word if this was a targeted search or a routine random search of the vehicle when crossing the bridge.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced early Wednesday that border patrol have seized five jars that were in a package in late May that were in a Canadian mail truck. The truck was searched at a station in Marysville, Michigan.

There is no indication what prompted border patrol to search the vehicle or how they knew these were artifacts. Officials worked with a Washington based archaeological group to determine the artifacts are from the Ptolemaic Dynasty from 305-30 B.C. Any artifacts that are removed from Egypt without permission is a violation of federal law.

Authorities are still trying to find how who was moving these artifacts in order to determine who is criminally responsible. Officials will be returning the artifacts in the near future.