The Public Prosecution ordered the detention of 3 suspects for 4 days pending investigations. Accusing them of attempting to steal a pharaonic statue in the southern quarry area in Aswan, the committee formed by the Antiquities Authority in Aswan proved its antiquity and attributed it to King Ramses II, weighing approximately ten tons, and that the site in which it was excavated is subject to the Antiquities Protection Law, and the Public Prosecution ordered the speedy investigation of others who participated with the imprisoned defendants. in crime.
On the eighth of January, the Public Prosecution Office received a notification from the police that three people were seized in possession of manual digging tools and heavy equipment – a crane – when they attempted to raise a statue of King Ramses II and were excavating antiquities in the area. The Public Prosecution office launched investigations.
The Public Prosecution inspected the site, which was found not to be fenced, with an area of thirty-four acres bordered by industrial areas and a museum (symposium), and it was found that there are some Roman basins in it, and the presence of the seized statue of King Ramses II inside the area, which is about three meters long and one meter wide. Traces of the drilling process can also be seen around it.
The Public Prosecution interrogated the defendants regarding what they were accused of carrying out excavation work with the intention of obtaining an antiquity, attempting to steal an ancient statue, and possessing tools used to assault people without a legal justification or justification of professional or professional necessity, and examined their mobile phones, and it was found that they contained several transmitted video clips. Through social networking applications, statues suspected of being archaeological, and other clips of excavation work.