(Video) Woman caught with 224 ancient coins at Luohu Port

A woman attempting to leave mainland China through Luohu Port was found carrying 224 ancient coins dating from the Han through Song dynasties, according to Chinese customs authorities.

Luohu Customs said they recently intercepted a female outbound traveler after detecting anomalies in an X-ray scan of her luggage. The traveler had entered the customs-controlled area without declaring any items.

During an inspection, officers discovered a transparent sealed plastic bag covered with mud stains at the bottom of her backpack. Inside were suspected ancient bronze coins clumped together with damp soil. Many of the coins were covered with verdigris. Officers recovered 224 coins in total.

The coins were later identified by Guangdong cultural relics authorities as dating from the Han through Song dynasties. Some showed clear signs of excavation and were classified as cultural relics prohibited from being taken out of the country.

Under the Cultural Relics Protection Law of the People's Republic of China, cultural relics must undergo official examination and obtain an export permit before leaving the country. Customs authorities said smuggling cultural relics may result in criminal prosecution, while lesser violations are subject to administrative penalties.

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