Weapons and historic artifacts, including coins, doors and olive presses from the Roman and Byzantine eras and the Iron Age, were seized by Israel Border Police from illegal antiquities dealers in the West Bank early Monday morning.
Over the past few months, Border Police and the Civil Administration's Archaeology Unit conducted an investigation into a number of antiquities dealers who were operating in the Samaria region.
On Monday morning, Border Police and Civil Administration officers raided the homes of suspects in the Palestinian towns of Burka, Huwara and Silat ad-Dhahr in the Samaria region.
Illegal weapons and archaeological artifacts, including olive presses, pillar capitals, doors from the Roman and Byzantine era and ancient tools from the Iron Age and the early Islamic era.
Three Palestinian suspects were arrested and transferred for further questioning.
"The antiquities of our country are a national and historical asset, we will continue to work together with all the parties for the preservation of the antiquities and the prevention of illegal trade and the destruction of ancient sites," said Jihad Hassan, the area commander of the Judea and Samaria region in Border Police.