The Moroccan authorities on Saturday handed over a 17th-century stolen painting to Italy.

The painting, worth up to 6 million euros (6.9 million U.S. dollars), was stolen from a church in the northern Italian city of Modena in 2014, and was recovered lately in a local market in the Moroccan city of Casablanca.

During a ceremony held in Casablanca, Moroccan police officially handed over the painting, known as "The Squinter," to the Italian ambassador to Morocco.

The 17th-century painting by Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, known as Guercino, was recovered thanks to a wealthy Moroccan businessman and art collector, who acquired it for 1 million dollars.

After the businessman informed the police, they arrested four people who offered the painting. The Moroccan police also tipped off Italian authorities, which later arrested another Moroccan migrant who stole the painting from Italy.

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