Relic thieves? All we took from Egypt was a cheap souvenir, says couple thrown into cells[UK]

Daily Mail ^ | 02 Nov 2008 | Liz Todd

[BGHater]

It should have been a luxury break in the Caribbean sun. Having forked out £3,500 on a three-week holiday in St Lucia, retired policeman Anthony Griffin and his wife Pauline were naturally excited as their plane touched down.

However, as they passed through immigration, Mr Griffin was stopped and told there was an international warrant for his arrest over the theft of Egyptian artefacts.

Instead of booking in to a plush hotel the couple say they were separated and thrown in filthy, rat-infested police cells for two days.

Tony and Pauline Griffin from Gillingham, Kent are happy to be home after their arrest ordeal in St Lucia

'We were terrified,’ said Mr Griffin. ‘The treatment was diabolical. I was frightened to death and my wife was shaking with fear. We’ve been to Egypt twice but all we brought back was a cheap souvenir with Nefertiti’s head on it.’

The couple, from Gillingham, Kent,  were the victims of an extraordinary identification blunder – but the error was not uncovered until they had been unceremoniously flown back to Britain.

Mr Griffin, 65, said: 'We were the last to go through immigration and the officers took a look at our passports and said we would have to go and speak to a man who seemed to be the chief immigration officer.

Mr Griffin with his Nefertiti ashtray bought in a Luxor market four years ago

He said: 'I have to inform you that the Egyptian government has issued a warrant for your arrest for stealing antiquities.'

[BGHater]

Not GGG. But I thought it was of interest.

Watch out for those ashtrays.

[Dallas59]

Thank Isis they didn’t take any towels.

[PAR35]

Vacation in third world countries, expect third world justice.

[mikeandike]

Send Lawyers, guns and money.

[Krankor]

I don’t know. If you just landed in some third world rat hole and they tell you to get back on the plane and go home because the Egyptian police want you...well, maybe it might be a good idea to get back on that plane as soon as possible and pray until you take off. This couple is lucky they didn’t get deported to Egypt.

[Kirkwood]

They forgot to bring their immigration payoff money.

[PAR35]

I can’t disagree with what you wrote. The locals tried to give them an out.

[Freedom Dignity n Honor]

I didn’t know ancient Egyptians smoked and needed ashtrays.

[org.whodat]

Don’t know about the ash trays, but they have found evidence they used tobacco, question is how they got it.

[SunkenCiv]

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	Gods Graves Glyphs	Thanks BGHater. My folks had a Nefertiti ashtray at one time, not quite like this one. Eventually one of the legs broke off, and I think it eventually went to the trash. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
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[YOUGOTIT]

Do NOT go to St Lucia as they seem like the SS in full stride.

[wildbill]

Assuming the ashtray was a true artifact, I guess the ancient Egyptians smoked Camels.