一对夫妇因在海滩上捡沙子将面临最高6年的监禁

一对夫妇因在海滩上捡沙子将面临最高6年的监禁

We've all been tempted to bring souvenir home from our holidays. But the urge has backfired on a French couple, who are facing up to six years in prison for taking sand from a beach in Sardinia, where they had been on vacation.

我们都想从假期中带点纪念品回家。但这一冲动却适得其反，一对法国夫妇因在度假胜地撒丁岛的海滩上捡拾沙子而面临最高6年的监禁。

The Italian island's white sand is protected, and tourists face fines and even jail time for removing it from local beaches -- but the couple say they did not realize they were committing a crime.

意大利岛上的白沙受到保护，游客将白沙从当地海滩移走将面临罚款甚至监禁——但这对夫妇表示，他们没有意识到自己在犯罪。

Police in the northern city of Porto Torres found the sand while making routine checks on cars waiting to board a ferry to Toulon in southern France.

在法国北部城市波尔图托雷斯，警方在对等待登上前往法国南部土伦轮渡的车辆进行例行检查时发现了这些沙子。

They spotted some bottles filled with sand through the window of the car, and arrested the couple, a man and woman in their 40s, police told CNN.

警方告诉CNN，他们从车窗里发现了一些装满沙子的瓶子，并逮捕了这对40多岁的夫妇。

Overall, 14 plastic bottles containing around 40 kilograms (88 pounds) of white sand were seized, police said.

警方说，总共查获了14个塑料瓶，里面装着大约40公斤(88磅)的白沙。

The couple were reported to a court in the city of Sassari for aggravated theft and they risk a fine of up to €3,000 ($3,300) and between one and six years' imprisonment.

这对夫妇因严重盗窃罪被告上萨萨里市法院，他们面临最高3000欧元(3300美元)的罚款和1至6年的监禁。

Police told CNN that the tourists said they were unaware of the laws about removing sand, but noted that the island's beaches have signs in several languages informing visitors.

警方告诉CNN，这些游客说他们不知道有关移沙的法律，但注意到岛上的海滩上有告知游客的几种语言的标志。

Theft of white sand and rocks from Sardinia's beaches is very common, a police officer said, and there is an illegal market for them on the internet.

一名警官说，从撒丁岛海滩上偷走白沙和石头的行为非常普遍，在互联网上有一个非法市场。

"The people of Sardinia are very angry with tourists that steal shells and sand, because it's a theft (from) future generations that also puts at risk a delicate environment," the officer told CNN.

这名官员告诉CNN:“撒丁岛人民对游客偷贝壳和沙子非常愤怒，因为这是对子孙后代的偷窃，也将脆弱的环境置于危险之中。”

Sand thieves are usually picked up at airports, in bag searches and by scanners.

通常会在机场、行李搜查和扫描仪中发现偷沙贼。

"During the last 20 years of activity we have seized tens and tens of tons of material ... Every year we take care to bring everything back to the places of origin at the end of the summer season." Local police said.

“在过去20年的活动中，我们缴获了数十吨、数十吨的材料……每年夏天结束时，我们都会小心翼翼地把所有的东西带回原产地。”当地警察说。