Warehouses owned by a Basel-based art dealer and his wife have yielded a haul of $58 million worth of looted antiquities, say Italian authorities.

Some 5,361 vases, kraters, bronze statues and frescoes, dating from 8th century B.C. to the 3rd century, were taken from the Swiss hideout to the Terme di Diocleziano National Roman Museum.

Allegedly stolen from southern Italy in tomb raids, the pieces may go on public display before being repatriated to Italian museums.

Gianfranco Becchina and his wife, who reside on an olive farm in southern Italy, have been accused of antiquities trafficking.

Experts believe many more stolen works will be traced to museums and private collectors for whom Becchina made up false provenance papers. Police found in the warehouses detailed documentation of transactions, including photographs of pieces.