Niger Intensifies Crackdown on Meteorite Smuggling After Record $5M Mars Rock Auction

Niger has escalated its investigation into the record-breaking $5 million sale of a 54-pound Martian meteorite, claiming the rare space rock may have been illicitly trafficked out of the country. The meteorite, the largest piece of Mars ever found on Earth, was unearthed in Niger’s Sahara Desert in November 2023 and sold at a New York auction last month, setting a new world record.

Following the controversial sale, the West African nation’s government launched a probe into the circumstances surrounding the meteorite’s discovery and export. Further intensifying efforts to protect its natural heritage, President Abdourahamane Tiani last week suspended the nationwide export of “precious stones, semiprecious stones and meteorites” to ensure their traceability and prevent future illicit trade.

Sotheby’s, the auction house, has maintained that the meteorite, designated NWA 16788, was exported from Niger and transported in full compliance with all relevant international procedures, stating that “all necessary documentation was in order at each stage of its journey.” The identity of the meteorite hunter and the buyer remain undisclosed.

Cultural heritage experts note that under the UNESCO convention on cultural property, which both Niger and the U.S. have ratified, rare minerals like meteorites can qualify as cultural property. However, Niger would need to prove ownership and demonstrate that the meteorite was stolen to facilitate its recovery. The ongoing dispute underscores a broader movement by nations like Niger to reclaim valuable natural and cultural artifacts discovered within their borders, challenging traditional trade practices in the global meteorite market.

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