Mongolian dinosaur bones seized in U.S. & returned to Asia

World Today

Over the past three years U.S. law enforcement has been working closely with the Mongolian government to help bring home stolen fossils.

CCTV America’s Karina Huber has more.

Mongolia is home to the world’s largest reserve of dinosaur fossils. It’s also a hot spot for thieves looking to trade in stolen relics, many of which end up in the United States.

“These are not souvenirs to be sold to the highest of bidders. They are irreplaceable, priceless pieces of a country’s history, its identity and its national heritage,” Robert E. Perez, director of New York Field Office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said.

Last December, actor Nicolas Cage agreed to return a stolen dinosaur skull he purchased in 2007 for $276,000 dollars from a well-known gallery in Beverly Hills. He claims he didn’t know it was stolen.