Reliquaries that were stolen from a church in the Czech Republic almost 30 years ago have been recovered in Ireland, gardaí have said.
Churches in parts of the Czech Republic were frequent targets of theft in the 1990s.
Now, decades on, some of these treasures are making their way back.
Detectives from the Arts and Antiques Crime Investigation Unit, which is part of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, were alerted to the items by Interpol last year.
"We received correspondence about the reliquaries from Interpol," explained Detective Sergeant Paul Sweeney, from the Arts and Antiques Crime Investigation Unit.
"A former search team member in the Ministry of Culture in the Czech Republic had discovered these two reliquaries for sale in an Irish auction," he said.
Gardaí have stressed there is no criminal investigation and said the person who bought the items in Europe and then brought them back to Ireland did so in good faith.
They also say the auctioneers believed the items were legitimate.
"Our unit assists our European colleagues in tackling illegal trafficking of cultural objects around Europe, due to wars but we're satisfied there's no criminal element to this.
"These items were bought legitimately in Europe many years ago and brought back to Ireland.
"The owner collected items like this as a hobby," Det Sgt Sweeney added.
"Last year the items were found in a house and put up for auction and that's when the items were spotted.
"It was reported to the police in the Czech Republic, who liaise with us through Interpol, to ultimately assess these items and seize them on the behalf of the Czech authorities."
Gardaí say they sought the assistance of the National Museum of Ireland who have expertise in this area.
"We work very closely with the Art and Antiques unit in An Garda Síochána and we were contacted by them, following a request from Czechia, where probably a reverse image search of these objects had established they were actually in Ireland."
Matt Seaver, assistant keeper with the Irish Antiquities Division in the National Museum of Ireland, said the items are 18th century reliquaries.
"These are two gilt wooden reliquaries and they would have stood either side of an altar in a church," said Mr Seaver.
"They contain little relics of a variety of different saints, so maybe pieces of cloth or bone, and they're held within a glass structure in the centre of it," he added.
"We go on field work with the unit regularly so we accompanied them to verify that these were the objects that were in the image supplied to us."
Mr Seaver said they were satisfied that they were in fact the reliquaries stolen from the church in Czech Republic at least 26 years ago.
"They're in safe-keeping here at the conservation studio of the National Museum of Ireland until they're returned."
Gardaí say that process is under way.
"At the moment we're going through a mutual assistance legal request to repatriate these items to the Czech Republic," said Det Sgt Sweeney.
Gardaí advise of responsibilities around metal detecting
While this case is unusual, gardaí say they want to increase awareness around some of the other work the Arts and Antiques Crime Investigation Unit is involved in, including the practice of metal detecting around national monuments.
"We have amateur metal detectors who may not be aware of their obligations when finding items, that they have to report from them to the National Museum," said Det Sgt Sweeney.
"It is a criminal offence, failure to report items found around national monuments, under the National Monuments Act," he said.
"There is a significant amount of Irish cultural heritage being removed from the ground and sold online and our unit is trying to raise awareness around people's obligations and around the law.
"Where necessary, we will seize these items and bring people before the course for prosecution," he warned.
The National Museum is also involved in combatting the illegal sale of important and historical items, working with the gardaí.
"We participate in international operations with the gardaí, like things like Operation Pandora, where we search online for Irish archeological objects which might have been acquired outside of the law," said Mr Seaver.
"We submit maybe 20 cases or more to the guards every year," he said.
Mr Seaver said the work is time-consuming but important.
"A lot of it is done on social media and involves us searching on social media sites, looking for objects that might have been recovered, that actually belong to the nation, but are being withheld from the nation or possibly sold on."
