Egypt .. Discovery of an ancient crypt inside a health office implicates employees in an illegal excavation case

In a shocking incident revealed by a routine inspection committee, the health directorate in Qena governorate found secret excavation works inside the health office in Dishna, north of the governorate, where a 4-meter deep pit was discovered leading to a horizontal crypt extending over 20 meters.

Initial investigations indicated that the excavation was organized and had been ongoing for a long time using hand tools to avoid noise, while security forces arrested four government employees on charges of illegal antiquities excavation, and a security cordon was imposed around the site, temporarily relocating the office's activities to the health administration headquarters.

A statement issued by the administrative prosecution confirmed that the initial inspection showed suspicion of the existence of an ancient crypt, indicating that investigations had begun with the accused and specialized committees were summoned to examine the site. The statement clarified that the discovery of the excavation was coincidental during an inspection tour, after committee members noticed strange noises and locked doors outside official working hours.

During the investigations, the implicated individuals admitted that they exploited the office's location in a historical area in an attempt to find "Pharaonic treasures," especially since Dishna is considered one of the regions rich in antiquities close to famous Pharaonic sites such as the Valley of the Kings and the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut.

Reports from the Ministry of Antiquities indicate that Egypt recorded more than 500 cases of illegal excavation in 2024, most of them in Upper Egypt, while UNESCO estimates the volume of the Egyptian antiquities trade in the black market at billions of dollars annually.

This crime is classified among the aggravated crimes in the Antiquities Protection Law No. 117 of 1983, as its penalty may reach 25 years in prison, especially in cases involving government employees, as is the case in this incident.