Israeli police on Tuesday arrested three Palestinians, including a resident of east Jerusalem, who had been keeping dozens of archeological items in their cars, some of which were from the time of the Bar Kochba Revolt, according to a statement by a police spokeswoman.
While on duty, a team of detectives from the Lev HaBira police station noticed three people in a car who drew their suspicion, so they searched the vehicle.
The detectives found scores of artifacts in the car, some from the Roman and Byzantine eras. They took the suspects in for questioning and transferred the items to Antiquities Authority's Antiquities Robbery Prevention Unit.
The police statement noted that this is the second time this week that artifacts were found in illegal possession in the Jerusalem area.
Earlier this week, police discovered another trove of historical items in the possession of an east Jerusalem resident, including a Hasmonean coin from the time of Antigonus II Mattathias as well as a Hasmonean oil candle and a biblical seal with ancient Hebrew text.