In March 2017, Adam visited Egypt. While he was in Egypt he bought a statue of Nekhbet, the vulture god, and sold a piece of In March 2017, Adam visited Egypt. While he was in Egypt he bought a statue of Nekhbet, the vulture god, and sold a piece of papyrus (a type of paper containing ancient writings).

The statue of Nekhbet was dug up from a burial site and is about 2,200 years old. Adam bought the statue from Bomani for 4,000, which is less than one quarter of its market value. Adam was able to negotiate this cheap price because Bomani told him that the statue had been stolen from a museum in Egypt.

The papyrus Adam sold is about 2,500 years old. It was removed from the wreck of a boat which is buried under the water in the mud of the Red Sea.

Adam returned to the United Kingdom in May 2017. He was stopped by Claudia, a Customs and Excise officer, who searched his luggage. She found the statue and is considering prosecuting Adam.

Under Egyptian law it is illegal to remove objects from burial sites or other places where cultural objects are buried, or to export objects more than 200 years old without the appropriate export documents.

(a) Explain to Adam whether or not the statue or the papyrus are tainted cultural objects. (12 marks)

(b) Explain whether or not Adam has committed an offence under section 1 of the Act in buying the statue of Nekhbet.

(9 marks)

(c) Explain to Claudia by what authority, and how, she might initiate a prosecution against Adam. (4 marks)