EuropolThe items stolen spanned from the Bronze and Iron Age to the Middle Ages.After two years of investigation by Bulgarian, British, and German authorities, an international crime ring planning to smuggle thousands of ancient artifacts into England has been caught. According to The Times, the 4,600 items ranged from spears and coins to funeral urns, ceramics, and arrowheads.The artifacts span from the Bronze and Iron Age to the Middle Ages. Some of the relics were illegally excavated from Roman-era military camps in Bulgaria. They were then smuggled into Germany, with the ultimate goal being legitimate sales in the London art market.According to Heritage Daily, the gang chose Germany as its transit country and hired private U.K. transportation companies to bring the goods into England. Little did they know that Bulgarian police received a tip-off in March 2018 after which surveillance on the group began in earnest.Were it not for the successful sting operation on behalf of authorities from three different countries, the eight individuals now under arrest would have made several millions of euros. The remarkable goods, meanwhile, would have been likely been dispersed across private homes around the world.EuropolThe trove of looted artifacts contained arrowheads, ceramics, spears, funeral urns, ancient coins, and more.A task force came together to stop the smugglers, coordinated by Europol and conducted by the General Directorate for the Fight against Organized Crime of the Bulgarian Ministry of Internal Affairs. They worked hand in hand with the British Metropolitan Police, as well as the German State Criminal Police of Bavaria, under an umbrella operation called MEDICUS.As the existence of the looted goods wasnt officially known, proving their illicit origin is difficult to do. With forged provenance and documentation on top, the legal ownership of these historical artifacts would appear entirely legitimate to auction houses or interested parties. Only diligent surveillance and monitoring of the group allowed authorities to confirm their suspicions. Five of the eight gang members were arrested before leaving Bulgaria. Three of them were permitted to enter the U.K., thus committing the crime of smuggling goods across, before being arrested.The group of three was detained after entering the U.K. in Dover. Two men aged 19 and 55 and one 67-year-old woman were arrested. According to The Southend Standard, the charge was suspicion of handling stolen goods, and the artifacts concealed in the suspects vehicle quickly confirmed as much.EuropolThree of the smugglers were caught entering the United Kingdom in Dover, with the other five apprehended in Bulgaria.The arrests were made as part of an ongoing investigation into the theft of cultural artifacts in Europe which is being led by detectives from the Mets art and antiques unit, the Metropolitan Police said.This sting operation dates to October 2019, but Europol has only now felt assured enough that publishing any details wont jeopardize other operations nor the trials of these eight individuals. Europol explained in a statement that auction houses are commonly part of such illegal sales.This case confirms that the most common way to dispose of archaeological goods illegally excavated is by entering the legitimate art market, the agency said.Recently, arts and crafts chain Hobby Lobby was caught having illegally purchased an ancient tablet inscribed with part of the Epic of Gilgamesh. On top of that, the $1.6 million artifact was only one of thousands of relics looted and smuggled from Iraq that the company had illegally bought.Hopefully, more time and effort is spent on preventing this seemingly ubiquitous practice. Cultural artifacts belong to the people of their countries and should be displayed for them to cherish and learn from. At least in this latest case, it appears that this kind of justice is being fought for.After learning about the gang of smugglers caught trafficking 4,600 ancient Roman-era artifacts from Bulgaria, read about police catching a transatlantic narco sub with $100 million worth of cocaine. Then, learn about the five craziest ways that drugs are smuggled.The post Sting Operation Busts Bulgarian Gang Trafficking 4,600 Stolen Ancient Artifacts appeared first on All That's Interesting.

James NachtweyAfter the South Tower collapsed, first responders carried Mychal Judges body from the North Tower lobby. Father Mychal Judge was not a firefighter. He was the chaplain to the New York City Fire Department. But on Sept. 11, 2001, Judge followed firefighters into the World Trade Center, and sadly lost his life.The first confirmed casualty of the September 11 terrorist attacks, Judge was offering help and prayers inside the North Tower when the South Tower collapsed. A wave of debris came cascading down, and Judge was killed. First responders carried Judges body from the lobby of the North Tower just moments before it collapsed as well meaning that, in death, Judge had saved all of their lives. Father Mychal Judge, The Popular FDNY ChaplainBorn in 1933 in Brooklyn, New York, Mychal Judge became a Franciscan friar at a young age. As a boy, he enjoyed visiting the friars of the St. Francis of Assisi Church during his trips to Manhattan to shine shoes and, as a teenager, he soon began the process to become a friar himself. As a young Franciscan priest in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Judge soon showed his willingness to rush into the heart of danger when he responded to a tense situation: an armed man was threatening to shoot his wife and baby.Without hesitation, Judge climbed a ladder wearing his long brown robe to speak with the man, who had locked himself in the attic of his home. We waited five minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes. Sweating bullets, waiting for that gunshot, Judges friend Father Michael Duffy, who was also on the scene, recalled to NPR in 2011. The next thing you know, 20 minutes later, the front door opens, and out comes the wife holding the baby, the man with the gun, and Mychal Judge with his arm around him.St. Anthony MessengerThe funeral for Mychal Judge was the first after 9/11. In the 1980s, Judge was assigned to Manhattans St. Francis of Assisi Church, the same church he had admired as a boy. There, he offered support to people with AIDS during the AIDS crisis, as well as the homeless, the injured, people struggling with addiction, and anyone else who needed a supportive hand. In 1992, Judge then became a chaplain for the New York City Fire Department, where his kindness and warmth made a quick impression.He could go into the firehouse, have a cup of coffee, have a meal, listen to all the talk, watch the ballgame, hear your problems, talk about anything you want, fireman Jimmy Boyle recalled to NPR. But when he said Mass in the firehouse, I always felt when he got to the Eucharist, he just transformed himself. He became like Christ. He was just so pious.As Boyle told NPR, Judge was often the first to lend a hand after a disaster, whether it was a house fire or a plane crash, like the devastating crash of TWA Flight 800 in 1996. And so, when reports of a plane hitting the World Trade Center reached the Engine 1/Ladder 24 fire station, across the street from St. Agassi, Mychal Judge quickly rushed to the scene. The Tragic Death Of 9/11 Victim 0001At 8:46 a.m. on Sept. 11, 2001, American Airlines Flight 11 hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Then, at 9:03 a.m., United Airlines Flight 175 hit the South Tower. Both aircrafts had been hijacked by al-Qaeda terrorists. A third hijacked plane, American Airlines Flight 77, was heading toward the Pentagon, and a fourth hijacked plane, United Airlines Flight 93, would crash in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after its passengers fought back. But as the World Trade Center burned, first responders had no idea that the day would end with nearly 3,000 fatalities, including 400 of their own. They were focused on saving lives. And Father Mychal Judge rushed to the World Trade Center with a group of off-duty firemen to help where he could.Wikimedia CommonsMychal Judge rushed to the scene of the 9/11 terrorist attack in New York, where hed become the first confirmed victim.At Ground Zero, Judge prayed for the dead including those who were jumping from the high floors of the towers to escape the smoke and flames. A crew of documentary filmmakers, who were making a film about the New York City Fire Department, captured Judges final actions that day. [If] you look closely at that film, youll see his lips moving, Father Duffy told NPR. Now, for those of us who know him, he wasnt one that talked to himself. He was praying. And absolving people as they fell to their death.Then, at 9:59 a.m., the South Tower collapsed. Crushing debris from the 110-story building smashed downward into the North Tower lobby with the force of an explosion. Judge was hit and killed. His body was found by NYPD lieutenant Bill Cosgrove, who would later credit Judge with saving his life.I went a couple of steps, and I hit something. And I told the fire chief that somebody was on the floor, Cosgrove recalled to NPR in 2011. And he put the light on him and I remember him saying, Oh my god, its Father Mike.'Cosgrove, alongside several others, helped carry Judges body out of the North Tower, a moment captured by Reuters photographer Shannon Stapleton. Just a short time later, the North Tower collapsed at 10:28 a.m.[I]ts my firm belief that the only reason Im here today is because of him, Cosgrove stated. everybody you see in that picture was saved. And Im sure had he not been there, I would have been trying to look for other people. And when that North Tower fell, I would have been right in the middle of it, just like the rest of the firemen were, and some of my cops.The Funeral of Father Mychal JudgeJust days after the 9/11 terrorist attack, as fires continued to smolder at Ground Zero, 3,000 people crowded into St. Francis of Assisi Church for the funeral of Father Mychal JudgeWikimedia CommonsMychal Judges name is one of the 2,983 names inscribed at the 9/11 Memorial in New York City.Judges friend, Father Duffy gave the homily. Mychal Judges body was the first one released from Ground Zero. His death certificate has the number 1 on the top, Duffy told the crowd of mourners. Of the thousands of people who perished in that terrible holocaust, why was Mychal Judge number one? And I think I know the reason.Duffy continued: [In] the next few weeks, were going to have names added, name after name of people, who are being brought out of that rubble. And Mychal Judge is going to be on the other side of death to greet them And hes going to greet them with that big Irish smile hes going to take them by the arm and the hand and say, Welcome, I want to take you to my Father.After reading about Father Mychal Judge, one of many heroes at Ground Zero on 9/11, learn how Rick Rescorla, the vice president of security at Morgan Stanley, saved 2,700 lives that day. Next, discover the harrowing story behind Marcy Borders, the 9/11 survivor known as The Dust Lady. The post Mychal Judge, The New York City Fire Department Chaplain Who Died On 9/11 appeared first on All That's Interesting.

Johnson FamilyLaVena Johnsons family doesnt believe that LaVena died by suicide.When LaVena Johnson was 19 years old, she enlisted in the U.S. Army to put herself through college. A few months after enlisting, she was deployed to Iraq. And a few months after that, LaVena was dead. Army investigators claimed that LaVena Johnson had died by suicide. But LaVenas family questioned the official explanation and began an investigation of their own. According to LaVenas father, John, theres plenty of evidence that LaVena Johnson was actually murdered. So what happened to 19-year-old LaVena Johnson? This is the murky story of her 2005 death in Iraq and the questions that linger to this day.LaVena Johnsons Career In The ArmyBorn July 27, 1985, in Missouri, LaVena Johnson grew up in a military family. According to reporting from St. Louis Public Radio in 2015, LaVenas father, John, served for three years in the Army before earning his doctorate in psychology. Both he and LaVenas mother Linda also had civilian jobs supporting U.S. Army troops. Still, it was a surprise that LaVena enlisted.One of five children, LaVena had decided to follow in her fathers footsteps, and put herself through college by serving in the military. Though her family was initially hesitant, LaVena thought it was a good idea. Demand Justice for PFC LaVena Lynn Johnson / FacebookLaVena Johnson enlisted in the Army after graduating from high school in order to put herself through college.After enlisting in the Army in September 2004, LaVena Johnson deployed to Balad, Iraq in the spring of 2005. According to reporting from the Los Angeles Times in 2009, her commanding officer recalled that she was happy and seemingly very healthy physically and emotionally. To her family back home, LaVena also seemed to be in good spirits. Her father remembered receiving a beautiful Fathers Day card from his daughter that June; Just two days before LaVenas death in July, her mother remembers talking to her on the phone, and sharing their excitement about the familys Christmas plans. She was her normal jubilant self, Linda Johnson recalled to the Los Angeles Times. She talked about coming home and Christmas plans This was not a girl getting ready to harm herself.Yet, on July 19, 2005, a soldier appeared at John and Linda Johnsons front door. To their shock, he told them that LaVena had died by suicide.LaVena Johnsons family couldnt believe it. And they still dont. How Did LaVena Johnson Die? The Murky Circumstances Of Her DeathWhat happened to LaVena Johnson on July 19, 2005 in Balad, Iraq? In her last moments alive, Johnson reportedly visited the military store to buy soda and M&Ms. According to the Army investigation, Johnson then went into a military contractor tent, burned several pages of her journal, and fatally shot herself in the mouth with a M16 automatic rifle. Army investigators also later found that Johnson had been depressed over a sudden breakup, and that she had recently been diagnosed with genital warts. They ruled her death a suicide.But her father has conducted his own investigation. John Johnson has poured over crime scene images and LaVenas autopsy photos, and even had her body exhumed for an independent autopsy. What hes found, he says, contradicts the Armys account and suggests that LaVena was murdered.Johnson FamilyLaVena Johnson in uniform.For starters, LaVena seemed to have abrasions on her face, and scratches on her arms, suggesting to her father that she was attacked before her death. John Johnson also believes that bloody boot prints at the scene, and the inability of the Army to find the bullet that killed his daughter, suggests that her body was dumped in the contractors tent. He further claims that the fire found near his daughters body was meant to destroy evidence of the crime, and that, chillingly, there was a caustic substance on LaVenas genitals, which he suspects was meant to cover up traces of sexual assault. Whats more, John Johnson does not believe that his five foot, one inch tall daughter had long enough arms to pull the trigger of the M16 automatic rifle that killed her. Indeed, even the Army investigation found an insignificant amount of gunshot residue on Johnsons hands.All of us cant be wrong about the evidence that weve compiled. It is awful, awful, awful compelling, John Johnson told St. Louis Public Radio. And, unfortunately, Lavena got lost in all of this and just lost everything trying to be a good American citizen.But though the Johnson family found an ally in U.S. Representative William Lacy Clay, who even helped the family obtain LaVenas autopsy report and other photos, the Army has been steadfast in their ruling.They maintain that LaVena Johnson died by suicide.All available evidence, to include forensic and testimonial, clearly demonstrate that LaVena Johnsons death was a tragic suicide, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command has stated.They Plucked Out A Part Of My HeartDespite the Armys verdict, the Johnson family has continued to search for the truth about what happened. In 2011, the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute spent three years digging into Johnsons case, but didnt find any new evidence that would contradict the Armys conclusion.Find A GraveLaVena Johnsons grave.There was nothing about this case that we could go back to the Army to say you need to re-look at it, Cold Case Investigative Research Institute director Sheryl McCollum told St. Louis Public Radio. We didnt have anything new. We didnt have anything that suggested wrongdoing.However, her family continues to believe that LaVena was murdered. And decades later, the Johnson family continues to mourn their loss.They plucked out part of my heart, John Johnson told St. Louis Public Radio. I cant get it back. But Im going to fight until I get justice for her. Were just going to keep doing what we can to keep our story alive.After reading about the strange death of LaVena Johnson, go inside the military coverup of the death of Pat Tillman in Iraq. Next read about Mike Day, the Navy SEAL shot 27 times in Iraq who later died by suicide.The post Did LaVena Johnson Really Die By Suicide? Inside This Fallen Soldiers Suspicious Death In Iraq appeared first on All That's Interesting.

Superintendency of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the provinces of Pisa and LivornoThe Roman tombstone found outside Livorno appears to date back to the 2nd century C.E.When Roberto Tessari recently hiked into the woods near Livorno, Italy, he was hoping to find some wild asparagus. Instead, he stumbled across an ancient Roman tombstone that was partially submerged in a shallow creek and had seemingly become exposed after a period of heavy rains in the region.The tombstone, which dates from the 2nd century C.E., is engraved with three names. Though little is known about the people it references, archaeologists suspect that it was made by a family of freed slaves or their descendants, and that it possibly contains the hint of a family tragedy.The Roman Tombstone Found By A Foraging Hiker In The Woods Outside LivornoRoberto TessariThe Roman tomb as it first appeared when it was spotted by Roberto Tessari.According to a report from local media outlet Livorno Today, 77-year-old Roberto Tessari, a former firefighter, was walking in the woods near Livorno when he spotted something sitting in a creek.In the 1970s, Tessari was one of the founding members of the Livorno Paleontological Archaeological Group (another member of which discovered ancient coins near Livorno in 2023), so he quickly realized that hed stumbled upon an important artifact.I was walking through a wooded area when my eye caught sight of a rectangular shape just above the waters edge, Tessari explained. I approached and immediately realized it was something interesting. I turned it over and noticed it was an ancient tombstone that undoubtedly speaks to the history of our area. It has several names engraved on it.Tessari immediately notified both a friend, Lorella Alderighi the archaeological official of the Superintendency of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the provinces of Pisa and Livorno as well as the local fire department.Superintendency of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the provinces of Pisa and LivornoThe tombstone, which had been preserved over the centuries thanks to the surrounding mud, was exposed after a period of heavy rains in the region.The firefighters, who included Tessaris son, were able to pull the tombstone out of the water. Thanks to its years embedded in the mud, its incredibly well-preserved and tells an illuminating story about a family living in the area during the days of ancient Rome.The Family Behind This 1,900-Year-Old Funerary MarkerThe tombstone, which is 11.4 inches high, 17.7 inches wide, and 3.4 inches thick, seems to date to the 2nd century C.E. Its epitaph reads:T(ito) ANCONIUS SEVERUSANCONIVS PRISCVSET SABINIA SEVERAV(ivi) F(ecerunt)Roberto TessariArchaeologists believe that the stone was dedicated to Titus Anconius Severus by his parents, Anconius Priscus and Sabinia Severa.Thus, the tombstone was seemingly made for Titus Anconius Severus, Anconius Priscus, and Sabinia Severa. The last line, V(ivi) F(ecerunt), is an indication that the stone was made while some of the people listed on it were still alive. This has led to speculation that it was designed for Titus Anconius Severus, a young man who perhaps died prematurely, as a dedication from his still-living parents, Anconius Priscus and Sabinia Severa.Although none of the people listed on the stone are mentioned in any known historical record, researchers may be able to glean some information about them. For instance, their family name, Anconius, is rare, and may be a nod to the city of Ancona.Because they werent a prominent family, the tombstone may have held special importance for them as the one way to leave a record of their name. Perhaps they sought to place themselves in the public record and literally leave their mark in history.And though the stone was later forgotten in the woods of Livorno for centuries, it has now been recovered, thanks to the sharp eyes of Roberto Tessari. This former firefighter and archaeology buff who is no stranger to making exciting historical finds is especially excited by his discovery of the Livorno tombstone.Making this discovery at my age, he remarked, is certainly a great feeling.Its one of those finds that, as an enthusiast, you hope to stumble upon once in your life.After reading about the Roman tombstone that was discovered by a man looking for wild asparagus, discover the multitude of reasons behind the fall of the Roman Empire. Then, learn about some of the worst and most bloodthirsty Roman emperors, from Caracalla to Caligula.The post A Retired Firefighter Just Happened Upon A 1,900-Year-Old Roman Tombstone While Foraging For Wild Asparagus In Northern Italy appeared first on All That's Interesting.

Favorite Baseball (MLB) Teams of 49 Big Rock + Metal MusiciansAs the Major League Baseball season gets underway for 2026, we tracked down the favorite teams of some of the biggest names in rock and metal.For some like Jack White, Geddy Lee of Rush and  Scott Ian of Anthrax, they had plenty to cheer for in recent seasons with their top teams making the playoffs.READ MORE: Favorite...

The Most Anticipated Rock + Metal Albums of 2026Century Media, Spinefarm, MNRK Heavy, Metal Blade, Atlantic RecordsWhat are the most anticipated rock and metal albums of 2026? Let's find out and let's take a look at the bands who currently working on new music, but haven't announced an album yet.The 2020s are racing by and we've only got four years left.What Big Albums Have Come Out...

Korn Classic Goes Viral on TikTok (Thanks to a Swedish Pop Star)YouTube: Korn / TikTok: Zara LarssonKorn's "Freak on a Leash" is hot again and they have a Swedish pop star to thank for it ... sort of.Zara Larsson has been cranking out charting pop tunes dating back to 2008, but one of her songs, the 2015 track "Lush Life," has seen a bit of a resurgence that came with a TikTok fascination with...

‘I Cried a Few Times’ - Why Sevendust Almost Retired Recently, Then Decided Not ToAccording to drummer Morgan Rose, Sevendust almost retired recently and then decided not to.During a conversation with Stan Bicknell, the musician revealed that he and his bandmates  contemplated ending their touring career sometime in the last two years. He recalled a period where they weren't touring often...

'We Want to Keep It Fresh In Every Sense' - Return to Dust Interview"We never want to hit a wall."On Tuesday (March 24), Return to Dust joined Loudwire Nights to celebrate all of the success they've achieved in a relatively short amount of time — and they opened up about how they approach creating their unique sound.Listen to the full conversation in the player near the end of this article."We...

Who Are the 'Big 4' Bands of Canadian Thrash Metal?Niels van Iperen / Ebet Roberts, Getty ImagesYou're probably sick to death of hearing about the "Big 4" of thrash metal — but what about the "Big 4" of Canadian thrash metal?As the Bay Area was producing an explosive crop of young headbangers who were pushing metal into unprecedentedly fast and heavy territory, their counterparts...