Tomb raiders have created a huge market in the trafficking of ilicit artifacts dug up from government land, according to a report from The Macon Telegraph. 

The articles quoted law enforcement officials who estimated that the illegal trafficking of artifacts amounts to a $5 to $6 billion market. 

From the Macon Telegraph:

Who are the looters?

There are three types, Kanaski said: Solo diggers collecting for themselves, history buffs involved in larger trading networks and those involved in criminal networks, who may cash in artifacts for drug money.

“There’s a whole subculture that does this almost professionally, crazed collectors and criminals,” Kanaski said.

Of the latter group, many are methamphetamine users, Louke said. He has trained about 100 federal law enforcement officers this year through the Archaeological Resources Training Program based in Brunswick.

“I can’t tell you how many calls I’ve gotten from sheriff’s departments asking why they find what they call ‘Indian rocks’ when they bust meth labs,” he said.

Those diggers take all the risk and sell the artifacts to broker middlemen for a fraction of their worth, Kanaski said. The middlemen reap most of the profits by selling to collectors for top dollar.

Louke said illegal trafficking in artifacts amounts to a $5 billion to $6 billion business, on par with international trafficking in munitions.

Parrish said the market has blossomed in recent years as collecting has become more popular. “Points you couldn’t hardly give away are now selling for $1,200 to $2,000,” he said. “And it’s not a renewable resource, so the value will only increase.”