Cambodia Reclaims Sacred Khmer Treasures in Landmark Repatriation
June 26, 2026
Manhattan DA Acknowledges Antiquities Coalition in Latest Recovery
On June 9, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office Antiquities Trafficking Unit announced the return of three looted Khmer sculptures to the Kingdom of Cambodia, marking another important victory in the fight to recover cultural treasures lost to looting.
The successful recovery of these sculptures highlights the indispensable role of dedicated law enforcement units in disrupting illicit trafficking networks. Through painstaking provenance research and investigations into trafficking operations, the Antiquities Trafficking Unit continues to set a global standard for cultural property protection and asset recovery.
Among the returned objects is a sacred Guardian Deity stolen from Koh Ker, the ancient capital of the Khmer Empire. Investigators traced the sculpture to trafficking networks associated with the notorious art dealer Douglas Latchford, whose decades-long smuggling operation funneled hundreds of looted Cambodian antiquities into the international art market and major museum collections.
The repatriation also includes a rare 7th-century sandstone lintel depicting Kāla, a powerful Hindu figure associated with time and destruction, carved in the distinctive Thala Borivat style of northern Cambodia. In addition, authorities recovered a 7th-century sandstone head of Harihara, a composite deity uniting Vishnu and Shiva, which had been trafficked out of Cambodia decades ago and was ultimately surrendered to investigators earlier this year.
The return underscores the continuing challenge of recovering stolen cultural heritage and dismantling the trafficking networks that profit from it. While significant progress has been made, many important Cambodian artifacts remain missing.
These sculptures are more than works of art; they are sacred cultural treasures that embody Cambodia’s history, religious traditions, and national identity. Their return helps restore an important part of the country’s cultural legacy.
These latest returns build on years of investigations and bilateral cooperation. The Antiquities Coalition, a longstanding partner in the fight against heritage crime, is honored to support law enforcement, government authorities, and cultural heritage experts working to bring looted antiquities home.
Read the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office official announcement to learn more about the recovery, here.