STRANGE SOUVENIRS

Tourists Who Stole Sand From Sardinian Beach Facing Up to Six Years in Prison

The French couple reportedly had 14 plastic bottles full of sand from a southern Sardinian beach in their trunk.

A French couple is facing up to six years in prison after taking almost 90 pounds of sand from a Sardinian beach, The Telegraph reports. Before the pair could board a ferry from Porto Torres to Toulon, their vehicle was reportedly halted by border police in a routine check. Authorities then discovered 14 plastic bottles filled with fine white sand from a beach in southern Sardinia in the car’s trunk. The two reportedly told police they were unaware that they were breaking the law, but they now face one to six years in the slammer. Sand stealers have been an issue for the island’s pristine beaches, with tourists reportedly coveting the sand, pebbles, and shells for souvenirs or additions to indoor aquariums.