By 3 News online staff
The FBI has seized thousands of artefacts, including some from New Zealand, from a home in rural Indiana.
Dozens of vehicles swooped on Donald Miller's home on Wednesday (local time) and the agency set up a command centre outside.
Mr Miller, 91, is suspected to have amassed the items over eight decades. Also included in his collection are relics from the United States, China, Haiti, Australia, Russia, Italy, Puerto Rico, Greece and Peru, CBS reports.
"Over the last several months an FBI investigation has determined that Mr Miller may have knowingly and unknowingly collected artefacts, relics and objects of cultural patrimony in violation of several treaties, federal and state statutes," said FBI special agent Robert Jones.
The exact number and value of the artefacts is still being determined.
More than 200 FBI agents are swarming over Mr Miller's properties, which are linked by a 45-metre tunnel.
"I have never seen a collection like this in my entire life except in the largest museums," said anthropology professor Larry Zimmerman.
Mr Miller has not been charged with any offences and told CBS he "absolutely" has rightful ownership of the items, collected on travels to 200 countries.
He made no secret of his collection, and those who took a tour saw items as diverse as an 18-metre-long anaconda skin, a chunk of concrete from Hitler's bunker and human remains - it's how he acquired the items that has archaeologists worried.
"Any item that's connected with a grave is protected, especially prehistoric artefacts - those are clearly protected by federal and state law," says anthropology professor Christopher Schmidt.
International Law New Zealand has a treaty with the United States prohibiting the importation of cultural items. The Ministry for Culture and Heritage has been in touch with the FBI.
"I think they're very aware they're New Zealand objects and have identified them as part of the significant part of that collection, so yes, we're expecting a lot of information shortly," says the Ministry's Ralph Johnson.
A 1998 article on Mr Miller said he was involved in the project that created the Atom Bomb and travelled extensively as a missionary.
Agents are attempting to work with Mr Miller to inventory the artefacts before returning to their rightful owners any found to be illegally in his ownership.
3 News
source: newshub archive
