22kg of Sardinian beach sand found in tourists' bags

(ANSA) - ROME, AUG 9 - Italian customs officials found 22kg of stolen Sardinian beach sand in tourists' bags in the second half of July, sources said Tuesday amid a continuation of the depredations of sandy keepsake hunters on the Italian island.
    Customs officials ans security guards working at Alghero airport recovered 10 kg of sand, seven of pebbles and five of shells taken from the iconic beaches of the north of the island between July 15 and 30.
    The nationalities of the tourists leaving the Riviera del Corallo Airport included Romanians, Poles, Swedish, Spanish, Serbian and Italian, officials said.
    Fines ranging from 500 euros to 3,000 euros werne levied as well as the seizure of the ill-gotten sand and other seaside material. (ANSA).