A jade tortoise, which dates to the Hongshan Culture (4700 BC to 2900 BC), is among the recovered artifacts. [Photo/Xinhua]

The recovered artifacts include an ornate coiled jade dragon that is known as a representation of Hongshan Culture (in an area stretching from Inner Mongolia to Liaoning province, and dated from about 4700 BC to 2900 BC).

According to the police, the 175 tomb raiders, who belong to 10 gangs, had a clear division of labor covering the whole process, from excavation to sales. Four archeologists are also suspected of participating in the tomb raiding and selling the stolen artifacts.