The artifacts range from a piece of ceramic tile to a statue, according to the anti-trafficking department at the country's Culture and Tourism Ministry.
Turkiye has recovered some 3,480 of its cultural assets this year thanks to the efforts of the country's anti-smuggling authorities.
These artifacts sometimes included "a piece of ceramic tile, sometimes a coin, sometimes a statue, a mosaic," said Zeynep Boz, who heads the anti-trafficking department at the country's Culture and Tourism Ministry.
Underlining that the department achieved a lot this year, Boz said that regardless of the kind of cultural asset involved, it is their duty "to ensure that no steps are taken against my country's laws" on artifact smuggling.
With an abundance of historical sites, Turkiye has countless antiquities buried underground, making the country a hotspot for excavators.
Turkiye has undertaken the struggle against illegal excavations and artefact smuggling and is striving to repatriate its historical and cultural heritage.
Mentioning some of the hurdles that she and her team face, Boz said they often had to prove that an asset was taken out of the country illegally despite its origin being clear.
This makes no dent in their determination, however, with Boz saying that once a file is opened it is not closed until they get results.
READ MORE: Finders keepers: Turkey's quest to reclaim lost cultural heritage
International co-operation
The process for recovering artifacts involves multiple state agencies, including law enforcement and judicial authorities, as well as diplomatic efforts and legal cases with the countries where the artifacts are found.
Noting that Turkiye's international co-operation in this area has increased particularly with the Balkan nations, Boz said it was most difficult to work with museums in the UK due to the sheer number of return requests they has to deal with.
She added that British museums were "a little cautious," even towards "the most reasonable request" to avoid having to accept all such requests, leaving their exhibits empty.
Taking cultural assets abroad without official permission was outlawed in the Ottoman Empire in 1906, a policy that continued under the Republic of Turkiye founded in 1923.
Under current legislation that has been in place since then, unlicensed excavation is illegal, as is failing to report any uncovered artifacts to authorities.
READ MORE: Italy returns 1,800-year-old artefact to Turkey
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