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Dealing in Cultural Objects (Offences) Act 2003
2003 CHAPTER 27
An Act to provide for an offence of acquiring, disposing of, importing or exporting tainted cultural objects, or agreeing or arranging to do so; and for connected purposes.[30th October 2003]
Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—
1Offence of dealing in tainted cultural objects
(1) A person is guilty of an offence if he dishonestly deals in a cultural object that is tainted, knowing or believing that the object is tainted.
(2) It is immaterial whether he knows or believes that the object is a cultural object.
(3) A person guilty of the offence is liable—
- (a) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years or a fine (or both),
- (b) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum (or both).
2Meaning of “tainted cultural object”
(1) “Cultural object” means an object of historical, architectural or archaeological interest.
(2) A cultural object is tainted if, after the commencement of this Act—
- (a) a person removes the object in a case falling within subsection (4) or he excavates the object, and
- (b) the removal or excavation constitutes an offence.
