A two-year federal investigation of widespread Native American grave robbing and artefact theft in the Four Corners region of the United States culminated in charges against 24 people last week.

The arrested individuals, from Utah, Colorado and New Mexico, were arraigned in the federal court on 10 and 11 June for multiple felony indictments for trade in 256 artefacts with a total value of more than US$335,000. Purloined items included pottery, baskets, sandals and necklaces taken from excavations on federal lands.

An undercover agent purchased the looted artefacts from, among others, a high-school teacher and an honoured archaeological-tourism promoter. One man — James Redd, a physician from Blanding, Utah — committed suicide on 11 June, authorities say, the day after he and his wife were charged with artefact theft.