He was stopped in Porto Torres , while boarding a ferry bound for Barcelona , with ten kilos of sand hidden in the trunk of his car.
The material, stolen from the Sardinian coast, was collected in 12 bottles, each of which bore the indication of the beach of origin .
The man, a 74-year-old French national, was charged with violating Sardinian Regional Law No. 16 of July 28, 2017 (Tourism Regulations), which strictly prohibits the removal, possession, and sale, even for non-profit purposes, of sand, pebbles, and shells without authorization. The law provides for administrative fines ranging from a minimum of €500 to a maximum of €3,000.
The finds were placed under administrative seizure and taken into custody at the customs offices in Porto Torres.
In the coming days, operations are planned to reposition the material on the beaches from which it originated, with the aim of preserving the integrity of the coastal and dune ecosystem.
(Unioneonline)
