Britain's only specialist art crime squad faces an uncertain future because its funding is to be halved.
The decision has forced the Metropolitan Police's Art and Antiques Unit to look for sponsorship "from anyone who will give it".
Senior staff are already talking to two companies which may offer funding.
The arts squad warned just weeks ago that fraudsters were increasingly sophisticated and prolific. Up to ?200 million of faked artefacts and pictures are sold in the UK every year, and police fear they are used as currency to acquire guns, and drugs, and to fund terrorism.
However, Stephen House, the Met's assistant commissioner, has told the unit to expect its funding to be slashed because art crime is not a priority for the force. He wants staff to be 50 per cent self-financing by the end of this year.
A spokesman for the unit said: "We are seeking sponsorship from anyone who will give it. The premise is to get relevant industries behind it because we would be providing a service for the industry. But if a lottery winner wanted to come in and support it, we would probably say 'Yes' ."
The unit, which has 120 investigations on the go at any time, has an annual budget of ?350,000, the bulk of which is spent on salaries for its four officers and three civilians.
In exchange for money, sponsors would be able to publicise their links to the unit and could have their logos on police documents.
The spokesman added: "It is very early stages but we have some irons in the fire. Insurers are one option, museums and galleries are another, although I'm not sure they have a lot of money for this sort of thing."
