Minister of Culture, Farouk Hosny, announced that the bust had been illegally smuggled out of Egypt but that the Canadian authorities were giving their full cooperation to repatriate the artifact.
Dr. Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), said that the bust would be handed over to the Egyptian ambassador to Canada, Shamel Nasser, who will then send the bust back to its homeland of Egypt.
Hawass explained that the object is a 13 cm tall marble bust that has been stored at the Heritage Canada Foundation since Canadian Police confiscated it in 2007.
Following several negotiations between Egypt and Canada, the bust is finally being returned.
Ambassador Nasser said that the recovery of this bust highlights the strong friendship and cooperation between Egypt and Canada.
Source: Zahi Hawass’s Blog [August 22, 2010]