Traffickers of cultural property know no borders. They steal and loot in one country and sell in another, passing through several states, all of which have different legal frameworks and judicial systems. In order to address this endemic phenomenon and to fight against this trafficking, which involves organised criminal activity and contributes to the financing of terrorism, it is essential to organise the international response of police, customs and legal professionals and to facilitate communication and collaboration between them. This is the aim of this Toolkit, published by UNESCO with the support of the European Union (EU). Designed as a self-training tool, this manual aims to strengthen the capacities and knowledge of professionals  throughout its five chapters.

With numerous real-life cases providing a concrete understanding of international principles, this guide aims to provide a range of responses that help practitioners combat illicit trafficking of cultural property.

Outcome of a UNESCO/EU cooperation project, this Toolkit was first published in November 2018 in English and French and is now available in Spanish and will soon be available in Serbian. Its author, Zeynep Boz, insists on the need for the police and judicial authorities of different countries to cooperate and on the absolute necessity of the political will of governments to strengthen the fight against illicit trafficking.