Attempt to Smuggle Out Ancient Books Curbed

Customs officers at Moscow's Domodedovo Airport have checked an attempt to smuggle out several ancient volumes in Arabic. As RIA Novosti was told at the State Customs Committee, the officers discovered four valuable books Thursday, in the hand luggage of a passenger heading for Egypt. One of the volumes is entirely handwritten, the other three contain handwritten notes dating back to 1834.

The owner of the valuable objects, a native of Daghestan, North Caucasus, claimed the books were a family memento which he planned to take to Cairo to hand to his brother. Still, according to the Russian law, books aged over 100 cannot be taken out of this country.

At the moment the folios are studied by the Ministry of Culture experts, while police are making the decision as to the offender's responsibility.