ANKARA, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Turkish security forces seized six handwritten books believed to date back to the Roman and Byzantine periods in the southern Mersin province, the semi-official Anadolu Agency reported on Tuesday.
According to a statement from the gendarmerie command, authorities launched an operation in the province's Akdeniz district after receiving intelligence about three suspects attempting to sell historical artifacts.
During a raid on the hotel where the suspects were staying, security forces seized the six manuscripts.
The three suspects were detained and taken to the gendarmerie for further procedures. The recovered books have been handed over to the Mersin Museum Directorate for examination and safekeeping.
