Two Van Gogh masterpieces stolen in Amsterdam 14 years ago will be returning to The Netherlands from Italy shortly after police recovered them from the house of notorious drug boss, a museum official said. The 1882 "Seascape at Scheveningen" and the 1884/5 "Congregation leaving the Reformed Church at Nuenen" will soon be on their way after an Italian judge cleared their return, Van Gogh Museum director Axel Rueger said.
Italian investigators in late September raided a home belonging to infamous drug baron Raffaele Imperiale, who was arrested 10 years ago at the same location at Castellammare di Stabia, some 34 kilometres southeast of Naples. The area is a notorious hotspot for Neapolitan mafia activity.
The two paintings -- which have since been confirmed as authentic and are worth millions -- were stolen in a daring raid in 2002 by thieves using a simple ladder and a length of rope. The daring heist left Dutch police flabbergasted at the time.
