Raiders of ancient tomb in China's Hunan arrested

CHANGSHA, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- Police of Youxian County in central China's Hunan Province said that they have arrested three tomb raiders and seized ten cultural relic items dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

The public security bureau of Youxian County said they received a tip-off in the middle of October, saying that a suspected hole of an ancient tomb was discovered on a mountain.

The investigation team then found a dugout measuring 1 meter in length, 1 meter in width, and 4 meters in depth on the site.

Experts with the provincial institute of cultural relics and archaeology said the stolen tomb was from the Ming Dynasty, 400 to 500 years ago.

Police in Hunan and east China's Anhui Province cooperated to detain three tomb raiders and seized ten silver and goldware from a tomb raider's home. The county's museum then appropriated the abode.

Further investigation of the case is underway.