It is normal for tourists to take back memories of places they have visited during their Travel. The island of Sardinia in Italy is an attractive travel destination famous for its white sand, pebbles, and shells. It does not want anyone to remove these items from its beaches and has imposed a ban on such items in 2017.
They have made it illegal to take them away, but people ignore the ban and indulge in lifting them. The BBC reports that authorities have recently indicated that several individuals have stolen nearly 220lb of such prohibited items from beaches.
This is not a small quantity. Sardinia is proud of its white sand and is strict with those who fail to comply with the law of the land.
The locals treasure these natural assets, but tourists try to carry the sand away in bottles. Some of them could preserve them as souvenirs, and others could auction them online. Those who follow the latter option would be committing a crime. To check the trend, military and customs police maintain surveillance at exit points like the airports and harbors.
They are also checking websites for the illegal sale of these products. There have been instances of tourists trying to remove bottled sand in their luggage. However, X-ray checks at the customs have detected them.
Tourists must adhere to the local laws
Items from the coasts of Sardinia, an island in the Mediterranean, fetch good prices. Hence, tourists who come here take back these assets of the region to make illegal gains. Police are investigating and have unearthed several online advertisements related to the sale of such items.
The BBC says that details of these persons are with the police, and they will have to pay penalties as per the regional law.
The police have collected fines and are trying to return the seized items to places where they belong.
The beaches of Sardinia attract the tourists
A popular social media platform describes the threat of such thefts as an environmental emergency. An environmental scientist who resides in Cagliari, the capital of Sardinia, admitted to a news outlet that the beaches attract tourists who arrive from far-off places to enjoy the sights and sounds.
In his opinion, some of them treat the sand as a souvenir and take some quantities back home.
The BBC adds that the loss of sand depletes the stock available and could pose a threat to the environment unless checked. In 2019, a couple tried to smuggle out 88lbs (40Kg) in plastic bottles. On interrogation, they claimed ignorance and said they did not realize that they had committed a crime.
Some tourists have an eye for sand, seashells, and rocks
According to Sky News, some tourists have a weakness for local memorabilia. In the case of Sardinia, these are the sand, seashells, and rocks from its beaches. These have a ready market on the internet, and many tourists try to sneak such items out and sell them.
There is a ban on activities of this nature. The police have intercepted them and levied fines. It seems, in recent days, law enforcement agencies are stopping tourists at exit points as they attempt to leave the island with a substantial amount of beach booty.
This is a long-term problem, and the tough fines are efforts that the authorities have introduced to tackle this menace. Tourists need to familiarize themselves with local dos and don’ts related to banned items. That would eliminate embarrassing situations.
