20 years later, discovered a stolen boat for a Saudi billionaire worth 28 million dollars

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (CNN) – A 20-year-old Dutch explorer discovered a $ 28 million Picasso painting stolen from a Saudi yacht in France.

When he was a Saudi billionaire, Abdul Mohsin Abdul Malik SheikhDuring the restoration of her yacht in the French city of Antibes, the painting "Bust of Woman" or "Portrait of Dora Maar" disappeared in 1999.

The painting had already been exhibited in Picasso's house until his death in 1973. The French police feared that the painting would be lost forever, but rumors surfaced that works of art would be appeared on the Dutch black market.

The Dutch art expert Arthur Brand said that he had learned about the existence of stolen painting in the Netherlands in 2015, without knowing what Picasso's work was missing.

After a four-year investigation, two people continued to inform Brand that the painting was in the possession of one of their clients. This led the Dutch investigator to ask the brokers to make an agreement with the owner of the table so as not to miss the opportunity to find them.

"They had Picasso, who today weighs about 25 million euros, in black trash bags," Brand told AFP. "The artist's painting was hanging on the wall one night, making my apartment one of the most expensive places in Amsterdam one day."

Once the painting was delivered to the Dutch investigator, a number of experts went to Picasso from the Pace Gallery from New York to Amsterdam to examine the painting. She was then assigned to an insurance company, who is currently working on its use.

"It is encouraging to see that insurance companies are looking for stolen paintings, even after the closure of their records," Christopher Marinello, general manager of Artif International, told CNN.

He stressed that it was important that people report any stolen paint to an international database. This allows sellers to know if they are dealing with stolen businesses.

Marinello explained that theft of valuable art works has become an industry in itself for some gangs, who steal them and then ask ransom for insurance companies.

"One of the main challenges in restoring valuable works of art is to give money to informants or to people who have evidence of the location of the painting, which encourages the continuation of flights, "said a source, who did not want to be identified.

Brand has recently found other priceless works of art, including a mosaic stolen from a 1,600-year-old church in Cyprus.