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Sunday, November 30 2003 @ 08:17 PM Central Standard Time
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 Baghdad, IRAQ, November 30, 2003 - At the 'market', one can find all sorts of very expensive products like the personal possessions of Saddam and famous Kuwaiti administrators.
A man very close to Talabani ensures the transit of contraband to Turkey.
The demise of the Baath regime, the frenzied looting during the fall of Baghdad, and the total immunity looters enjoyed all ensured that the business of art smuggling is now thriving in Iraq.
Izzet Huseyin , a smuggler for 17 years in Baghdad and Ismail, a smuggler for 15 years, explained that the most common buyers of Iraqi artwork or historical artefacts are Turkish, Saudi Arabian, Kuwaiti and American soldiers on their way home.
Some smugglers asserted that high-ranking American soldiers bought a few of the swords belonging to Saddam Hussein.
One of the most interesting products smugglers are trying to sell is the radioactive compound antimony mercuric oxide or commonly known as "red mercury", which goes for $6 million dollars for one kilogram.
Izzet Huseyin explained that right now he has 2 kg of red mercury and if he manages to sell 1 kg, he will quit everything and live in luxury for the rest of his life.
He says that in Iraq 1 kg of red mercury costs $6 million dollars; however he can agree on a lesser price with our bosses.
He also said that much of what is sold as red mercury is fake but when asked how can we be sure of the product, Izzet replied: "There are experts in Turkey that can determine authenticity, I know this. Call them and let them come, I trust my product."
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