White and sandy beaches at times of pink are one of Sardinia's main attractions, endangered by two factors: erosion and theft of tourists. Tourists, mostly European and including Italian, fill sand bags and sell them online. Finally, two French tourists fell into police tracks after they were spotted carrying sand.

The couple were seized with 40kg of sand from the Sardinia beaches and said they had "seen it as a souvenir" and did not know they were committing a crime. Police found 14 plastic bottles of sand taken at Chia beach in the south of the country.

The island's famous sand is forbidden to be taken as it is considered a national asset. Likewise, the 2017 law prohibits trading of pebbles and shells strictly. Their seizure is considered a criminal offense and is punishable by a fine of up to 3,000 euros and a fine of 1 to 6 years.

Source: BBC