2023-07-15 01:03:54
Alberto Chicote travels to the northern mountains of Guadalajara with several environmental agents to see first-hand how illegal collectors try to do business with mushrooms.
The pine forests are owned by the Junta de Castilla-La Mancha and the regulations are very clear: each person is only allowed to collect five kilos for their own consumption. However, many try to circumvent the law.
Shortly after carrying out a control, the agents discover several cars loaded to the top with chanterelles with an amount much higher than what is allowed.
Despite breaking the law, a woman and a man try to justify the large amount of mushrooms they carry inside their van. They say there were five people, but the rest have gone to Guadalajara to buy. However, later they change the version and assure that they have left because it was raining.
They carry a total of 70 kilos of mushrooms that, with a market price of between 20 and 25 euros, could amount to 1,750 euros.
The Civil Guard allows them to take only 10 kilos, but the woman tries to mock the agents: “Look, they report me, I take my kilos […] Come on, don’t fuck with me, you’re going to take this off me after being here all morning.”
The mushrooms were placed in boxes, apparently ready for sale, marked as ‘premium quality’. In addition, despite the fact that they have not passed any sanitary control and the traceability of the product is in doubt, the containers falsely state that they comply with all the regulations.
#kilos #valued #euros