Looted Van Gogh Art Seized

Five Turkish nationals have been arrested after they attempted to sell a Van Gogh oil painting that they claimed had been stolen from an Iraqi museum. Police officers acting as interested buyers agreed to purchase the painting for $500,000. The five were arrested in the western Turkey town of Canakkale when handing the art over. The painting was handed over to arts experts to determine whether the painting is a genuine Van Gogh or a fake. Following the 1991 Gulf War a number of people were arrested in Turkey for trying to sell Picasso oil paintings which they claimed had been looted from Kuwaiti museums. All of the art was subsequently found to be fakes. Irish Art