U.S. authorities confiscate the largest known Martian meteorite after customs violation

The Department of Justice revealed that federal agents have taken control of NWA 16788, a roughly 54-pound Martian meteorite that is 70 % larger than any other known piece from the Red Planet. The stone was originally discovered in July 2023 by a meteor hunter in Niger’s Kefkaf region and later sold to an anonymous buyer for more than $5 million at a Sotheby’s auction in July 2025, after being displayed in Italy. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro posted a video stating the meteorite entered the United States without a customs declaration, violating Title 19, Section 1595a, which permits seizure of undeclared valuable items.

Because customs has no record of its arrival, officials assert that the rock now belongs to the United States. Pirro did not specify who previously held the meteorite or its exact location at the time of the seizure. The case has raised concerns about the illicit trade of rare space rocks and the enforcement of import regulations.