Croatian police seize over ton of sea urchins in smuggling bust

Croatian police apprehended a 35-year-old Croatian national for attempting to smuggle more than a ton of protected sea urchins into Slovenia. The man was stopped on the A7 highway near the Rupa toll station on July 28, 2026, driving a van with Italian license plates.

During the inspection, officers discovered over 1,000 kilograms of black sea urchins (Narbacia lixula) packed in plastic crates. The suspect was also found to be driving with a suspended license and possessed 5.80 grams of cannabis. He presented a forged international transport document.

The seized sea urchins were transferred to a police vessel and released back into the sea in the Opatija waters at a depth of approximately 50 meters. The driver was arrested and is facing charges for trafficking protected natural resources and document forgery. He was also penalized for traffic and drug-related offenses.