CAIRO - Prosecutors in South Sinai ordered the detention of a Jordanian driver, who is accused of smuggling precious antiquities. He is initially being detained for three days while further investigations are planned. Karim Hosni Abdel-Fattah, a Jordanian driver, has recently been arrested in Nuweiba Port, carrying Egyptian antiquities to be smuggled abroad, said security officials. “A group of businessmen, affiliated to Alexandria Governorate, are responsible for the smuggled load,” said a security source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “The seized antiquities include 64 valuable stone pieces and Islamic vessels. They also include 26 Pharaonic statues and gold antiquities,” said Tawfiq Mohamed Tawfiq, the head of Sinai Customs' Central Administration. “All of the smuggled antiquities are from the Pharaonic and Islamic eras. They are rare and valuable pieces,” stated Abdel-Rehim Rihan, the Director of Nuweiba's Antiquities Administration.
