Niger wants answers after the largest piece of Mars that was sold at an auction of more than $ 5 million

that it The largest piece of Mars was found on the ground 54 pounds brought more than $ 5 million in New York Auction Last month, he set a global record.

But in the West Africa Niger, where the rusty rock was discovered in the desert desert, officials launched an investigation into what they call “illegal international trafficking”, claiming that it may have been smuggled outside the country. Sothebez, auction house, has been opposed to the claim.

Niger government She says she made an official investigation “to determine the conditions of its discovery and sell it.” While the country does not have specific legislation on meteorites, the International Heritage Law is considered.

Here is what to know about meteorites and legal conflict:

How the meal was found

Sothebez said that the rock, named NWA 16788, was detonated from a surface Mars By a huge asteroid blow and traveled 140 million miles to Earth.

“The possibilities of this arrival from there to here are small astronomical,” Cassandra Hatton, Vice President of Science and Natural History in Sotheby, said in a video of public auction.

It was discovered in the desert In the northwest of Niger by the meteor hunter in November 2023, according to the auction house. His identity has not been revealed. The identity of the buyer was not last month.

Meteorological hunting grows in arid countries such as Niger. Though Meteors can fall anywhere on the face of the earthThe desert has become a major place to discover them in part because of the climate favorable to preserve it.

Fishermen often search for space rocks that can be sold to the association or scientists. The rarest and the most valuable of Mars and the moon.

According to the Heritage Academic Magazine, the rock was sold to an international merchant before it ended in a special exhibition in Italy. The publication said that a team of scientists from the University of Florence examined the rock last year to learn more about its structure and where it came before the fall to the ground.

The meteorite was also briefly displayed in Rome before it was seen in public places in New York last month during the auction. It is the largest meteorite of Mars, but not the biggest meteor is at all. according to NassaNizak originally weighs more than 100 tons once in Namibia.

Why does Niger achieve

After selling, Niger raised questions about how the meteorite is sold at a public auction.

The Niger government announced an investigation last month to determine the conditions of the discovery and sale of the meteorite, saying in a statement “closer to the unlawful international trafficking.”

Last week, President Abdhaaman Tiany suspended the export of “precious stones, semi -precious and physical stones at the country level” to ensure their tracking.

Sotheby’s, who is regularly at the auctions of meteorites, said in a statement sent to the Associated Press that the meteorite was exported from Niger and was transferred in line with all relevant international measures.

“As with everything we sell, all the necessary documents were at every stage of their journey, according to the best practices and the requirements of the countries concerned,” as stated in the statement.

The authorities in Niger did not answer AP questions.

What does international law say

While global agreements are present to regulate the trade of cultural artifacts, there is ambiguity about whether meteorites are covered.

Patti Gresnalth, a lawyer for cultural heritage and an expert in illegal trade, said that under the UNESCO Cultural Property Conference – which was believed by Niger and the United States – meteorites can qualify as a cultural ownership, “said Patti Gresnalth, a lawyer for cultural heritage and an expert in illegal trade.

However, Gestnlath said that Niger needs to prove that he owns a meteorite and that he was stolen, because illegal export from the country does not make the meteorite illegal in the United States

She told AP: “If meteorites are not stolen and if it is announced correctly upon importing to the United States, it will not seem that Niger can restore the meteorite.”

Some countries, like Morocco, require one of the leading sources of meteorites in the international market, to restore if things are discovered on their soil. But the enforcement was a challenge due to the vast desert areas and informal trading networks.