Homeland Security Investigations agents in Tampa have seized more than 12,000 ancient artifacts believed to have been smuggled into the United States from the Eastern Mediterranean, in what the agency says is one of the largest seizures of its kind in HSI's history.If you walked in without knowing any better, you might think you had stumbled into a museum preparing for a new exhibit. Teams of experts carefully handled and catalogued ancient pieces spread across tables. But this was not a museum. It was a criminal investigation.WATCH: More than 12,000 stolen artifacts seized by HSI Tampa in major smuggling probe Tampa HSI seizes thousands of priceless artifacts in historic smuggling caseTampa Bay 28 reporter Jada Williams was given access inside as teams worked through the collection, piece by piece.The artifacts, some believed to be as old as 5,000 years, are being processed at HSI's Tampa offices. Experts from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of South Florida have been brought in to help authenticate the items.John Yancey, Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge of HSI Tampa, called the seizure one for the record books."We've identified over 12,000, which is actually one of the largest seizures of this type in our agency's history," Yancey said.The collection includes ancient coins, pottery, bowls, vases and items bearing script from languages of the era and region in which they were made.Among the oldest pieces is an artifact bearing cuneiform, one of the earliest known writing systems in human history. These things belong in a museum, and in many ways, they look like they came straight out of one.Also among the collection is a spike believed to have been used as an architectural marker, placed in the cornerstone of a structure to identify the building, its location, and possibly its ownership.Investigators believe the items were stolen from the Eastern Mediterranean region before making their way to the United States."These artifacts that you'll see here today, they were being smuggled into the United States illegally," Yancey said.HSI became involved through its customs enforcement authority. When the Department of Homeland Security was created following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, it merged several federal agencies, including the legacy U.S. Customs Service, which was responsible for regulating goods entering and leaving the country.The case carries implications beyond stolen property. Yancey said that in similar investigations, proceeds from the sale of trafficked artifacts have been used to fund terrorist organizations, including ISIS."We don't know if that's the case specifically with this one, but that is something that we've seen," Yancey said.Investigators are still working to identify all individuals involved. Criminal charges will be filed once the investigation is complete, and those found responsible could also face fines.Do not expect to find these items on Facebook Marketplace. The market for high-end antiquities runs deeper than that."There is an underground network of people who like to collect and trade in these, and a lot of times those are very wealthy individuals who have a lot of money, and they are just fascinated by items like this," Yancey said.Yancey was careful to note that simply having ancient artifacts in the United States is not automatically a crime. Items similar to those seized can be found in museums around the world, acquired through legal means. What matters, he said, is how they got here."The items being here doesn't necessarily make it illegal, it's how those items were acquired and how they were brought into the country that makes them that's where the crime can occur," Yancey said.Authenticating more than 12,000 pieces is no small task, made more complicated by criminals' tactics. Counterfeit items are sometimes mixed in with genuine artifacts, and some forgers go as far as burying replicas in the earth for years to mimic the look of age."They'll even create a replica that looks almost identical to the actual artifacts, and we've even seen cases where they'll bury them in the earth for years, so that they get that weathered patina aged look," Yancey said.Despite that challenge, investigators believe the items in this case are authentic.When agents first discovered the collection, the full weight of what they had found did not set in right away. It took outside experts to make that clear.Experts from the University of South Florida were on-site the day the artifacts were discovered. The University of Pennsylvania also contributed specialists to help with identification and authentication. Yancey said the agency regularly partners with universities and museum professionals on cases involving cultural property.Once the criminal case concludes, the artifacts will head home. Yancey said returning items to their countries of origin is one of the most rewarding parts of the job, and his pride in that work was clear."That's one of the really cool things about these type of cases," Yancey said.Repatriation is not without debate, however. There is an ongoing international debate over whether artifacts are better preserved in established Western institutions or returned to their countries of origin, particularly in contexts where governments may be unstable or lack the resources to protect them. Yancey said HSI's position is straightforward."We feel that it is what it is that it belongs to who it belongs to, and they should be the people in charge of making those kind of decisions and being responsible for its welfare," Yancey said.The investigation remains open, and HSI is continuing to identify additional individuals who may be involved. ...read more read less