Four year police operation leads to recovery of £2 million Ming vase
The men were arrested and charged in connection with the burglary of a Chinese Ming Dynasty Vase from the Museum of Far Eastern Art in Geneva
After a four year policing operation, three people have been convicted of the burglary of a Chinese Ming Dynasty Vase - from the Museum of Far Eastern Art, in Geneva.
It follows a cross-border collaboration of the Met Police working with the Swiss authorities, which led to the recovery of a vase worth around 2.25 million CHF (£2 million).
The three men were arrested and charged with the burglary, which happened back in June 2019, and the vase was returned to the museum after police officers carried out an undercover operation, targeting those attempting to sell it.
The vase was recovered on October 15, 2021.
Detective Chief Inspector Matt Webb, from the Met’s Specialist Crime, said: “These convictions are the result of four years’ work crossing international boundaries and involving collaboration between many internal and external partners.
“The organised crime group involved in this offending believed they could commit significant offences internationally and that there would be no comeback. They were mistaken, highlighting the strength of our relations with international law enforcement partners and our ability to work across international boundaries.
“The white porcelain ‘vase’ – which is actually a bottle of the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty - has an interesting tale over its hundreds of years and this is another chapter. I’m glad we were able to return it to its rightful owners.”
On Friday (August 18, 2023), two of the defendants were found guilty, whilst another pleaded guilty to the same offence, at an earlier hearing.
- Mbaki Nkhwa, 47, of The Heights, Charlton was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to convert criminal property
- Kaine Wright, 26, of Heavitree Road, Woolwich was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to convert criminal property
- David Lamming, 31, of Belmont Park Close, Lewisham, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to convert criminal property at an earlier hearing on March 23, 2023
All three will be sentenced on 13 October. Nkhwa and Wright have been remanded in custody, Lamming has been bailed.
The case
Back in July 2020, the Met Police received a phone call from an auction house - who told the force that an unknown person had got in touch, knowing the whereabouts of the stolen vase.
They were seeking a valuation of the vase, by email.
The Met Police then launched an operation, which was led by the Specialist Crime Unit - specifically, Trident officers, who traced the IP address of the correspondence, and consequently, David Lamming.
They wanted to make sure they had every chance of catching Lamming, and the stolen vase, so launched an undercover operation.
When the vase was listed for sale, the officers posed as undercover buyers - and agreed a price for the vase, of £450,000.
This is when Mbaki Nkhwa met them at a hotel in central London - who was then arrested at the scene.
The force say telephone data showed both he and Lamming had been in regular contact with Kaine Wright, who had driven them to the hotel for the exchange.
Working with the Swiss authorities, the Met Police set up a joint investigation team in a bid to 'build further strong evidence against the defendants'.
In total, three items from the Ming Dynasty were stolen during the burglary in 2019, estimated to be worth £3.5 million.
A bowl valued at £80,000 was sold at an auction house in Hong Kong in 2019 but subsequently returned to the museum. This bowl did not form part of the Met's case.
The Met Police have now launched an appeal for the public's help to find the last of the three items which were stolen - and are offering a Serious Crime Reward of up to £10,000 for anyone with information leading to the recovery of a Ming Dynasty cup which was also stolen from the Museum of Far Eastern Art in Geneva.
Officers have released an image of the stolen ‘doucai style’ wine cup which features chicken decoration, and they are asking anyone with information about its whereabouts to get in touch with police on 101 referencing Operation Funsea or to remain anonymous contact the independent charity Crimestoppers.
Two other British nationals await trial in Switzerland for their alleged role in the burglary of the Museum of Far Eastern Art in June 2019. They are brothers Stewart Ahearne (21.07.78) of Woolwich and Louis Ahearne (02.12.88) of Woolwich. Both were extradited from the UK in late 2022.