A Belgian tourist, Kim Mergits from Antwerp, is facing the possibility of imprisonment after being accused of stealing stones in Turkey.
While traveling with her partner, Warre, Mergits was stopped at the airport, detained, and is now at risk of a substantial fine or a potential prison sentence due to suspicions of pilfering archaeological artifacts.
The alleged theft took place during a day excursion to Manavgat, a town located in the eastern part of Antalya, Turkey.
Kim Mergits, a resident of Antwerp, Belgium, has found herself embroiled in controversy during a day trip to Manavgat, a town located in the eastern part of Antalya, Turkey.
Mergits was allegedly caught stealing archaeological artifacts when she took three stones during her outing, concealed them in her suitcase, and placed them in her home aquarium.
However, her plans took an unexpected turn when the stones were discovered during airport security checks.
According to local media reports, as quoted by The Brussels Times, Mergits was detained at the airport.
After the stones were discovered in her possession and Mergits was detained at the airport, the Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism of Antalya sent the three stones to the Antalya Museum for a thorough analysis.
Experts at the museum confirmed that two of the stones were fragments of marble floor coverings, while the third stone featured two stylized rosettes and was identified as an architectural decorative piece.
The analysis revealed that these stones fell under the protection of Turkish law concerning the preservation of cultural and natural assets. Consequently, their removal from the country was prohibited.
Now, Mergits remains detained in Turkey while awaiting trial. According to 7sur7, she has had the opportunity to converse with a judge and has been informed that she's 'suspected of smuggling archaeological stones.'
The 28-year-old tourist expressed her willingness to take responsibility for her actions, indicating her readiness to pay a fine regardless of the amount.
According to Sky News, she explained: 'We understand that we are wrong and that we did something that is not accordance with the law here but just give us a fine. We are going to pay that. It doesn't matter how much.
"We understand that a mistake has been done. But I am being punished much harder."
However, Turkey enforces strict regulations and penalties for individuals found guilty of fraud related to the export of cultural goods and antiquities, as stated by the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.
