Dozens of people are facing fines of up to 3 euros for stealing beach sand and shells from the Italian island of Sardinia, local media reports.
Authorities said Saturday that 41 individuals had been reported for stealing about 100 kg of items from the beaches in separate incidents.
Sardinia's famous white sand is precious on the island and it is strictly forbidden to remove it.
Trade in Sardinian sand and shells became illegal in 2017.
The fines imposed may seem heavy, but for years the islanders have complained about the theft of their natural assets.
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22 kg of stolen sand and shells are found in the bags of tourists in Sardinia
Tourists, mostly European and including some Italians, steal the sand to keep as souvenirs or sell it at online auctions.
As part of an ongoing investigation, military and customs police in Sardinia have been monitoring airports and ports, and also searching websites for illegal sales. Tourists trying to steal sand by bottling it in their car trunks have been caught during customs checks using X-rays.
