CAIRO, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian security at the Cairo International Airport has thwarted an attempt to smuggle 329 ancient coins to France, the Ministry of Antiquities said on Sunday.

The coins, seized from an Egyptian passenger travelling to France, date back to the Byzantine and Ptolemy eras, the ministry said in a statement.

As one of the most ancient civilizations, Egypt has been working hard to preserve its archaeological heritage.

Egyptian authorities have been exerting great efforts to fight theft and smuggling of antiquates, and retrieve the stolen treasures smuggled to other countries.

According to the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities, more than 7,000 relics have been returned home in the past seven years.