CAIRO (AP).- The Egyptian antiquities department says a stolen Greek-era statue that was confiscated in Canada is on its way home.

Thursday's statement said the marble bust was seized by Canadian customs after it was illegally brought into the country.

The 5 inch (13 centimeter) tall figure will be handed over to the Egyptian embassy in Canada. There were no further details on the age and nature of the statue.

Egypt has been in negotiations over the statue's return since 2007.

Thousands of antiquities were spirited out of the country during Egypt's colonial period and afterward by archaeologists, adventurers and thieves.

Antiquities chief Zahi Hawass has made recovering the stolen artifacts the centerpiece of his tenure as antiquities chief.


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