Manager of the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, Khaled al-Enany, has decided to shut down the al-Fostat store, affiliated with the museum, after store workers were caught attempting to exchange genuine artifacts for counterfeit ones.
The pieces that have been replaced included a statue of King Menkaure, and a glass dating back to the Mamluk era.
Enany added in a statement on Tuesday that a ministerial decision to form a committee to check whether the stored artifacts were genuine would be issued in few days.
He added the incident would most probably lead to uncovering a gang specialized in the theft of artifacts. He pointed out the accused were caught red-handed.
Minister of Antiquities Mamdouh al-Damaty said on Tuesday the ministry will not compromise the protection of Egypt's monuments, especially in light of the recent surge in theft and counterfeiting.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
