California man convicted of illegally importing an ancient mosaic from Syria

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A California man has been found guilty of illegally importing an ancient mosaic from Syria. The U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles says 56-year-old Mohamad Yassin Alcharihi was convicted Wednesday of one count of entry of falsely classified goods. The mosaic dates to the Roman Empire and depicts the mythological figures Hercules and Prometheus. Prosecutors say Alcharihi purchased the mosaic for $12,000 in 2015 and falsely classified it when it was imported through the Port of Long Beach, California, as part of a shipment from Turkey. It was declared as ceramic tiles worth less than $600. Federal agents seized the 2,000-pound mosaic from Alcharihi’s garage in 2016. A government appraisal expert valued it at $450,000.