After three years in the custody of the Mexican government for investigation, Egypt receives a 17x15cm-wide New Kingdom relief that had been smuggled out of the country illegally. The story of the relief began in 2006 when Mexican police caught a Mexican citizen in possession of the relief red-handed. An investigation proved the piece was Egyptian property.

The relief arrived from Mexico yesterday in a diplomatic bag. An archaeological committee from the Ministry of State for Antiquities led by Ahmed Mostafa, head of the returned antiquities section, checked its authenticity. He will have the piece restored and placed in a special display at the Egyptian museum.