French couple could face jail time for taking Italian sand
ASSOCIATED PRESS
People enjoyed the white sand and pristine waters of Chia beach, June 29, on the Italian island of Sardinia, Italy. A French couple could face up to six years in jail for taking around 88.1 lbs of white sand from Chia beach on the Italian island of Sardinia.
ROME >> A French couple faces up to six years in jail for taking around 88.1 lbs of white sand from a beach on the Italian island of Sardinia.
Italian finance police said Tuesday they discovered the sand from a Chia beach stashed in 14 plastic bottles in the couple’s SUV during a check as it boarded a ferry Aug. 15 from Sardinia to France.
The couple told police they didn’t know it was against the law to take the island’s famed sand, which is protected as a public good. If found guilty, they face one to six years in jail for aggravated theft.
It’s not clear when a trial may be held.
Italian finance police say the sand theft was one of the bigger revealed during a recent crackdown.
