On bike, on horseback or even in civilian clothes: the police are once again on the lookout for wild garlic thieves in Leipzig's forests. "The perpetrators come from all over Germany to take wild garlic from the alluvial forest," said Mario Luda, head of Leipzig's south-east police station. In doing so, they not only pull out the bulbs, but also endanger the sensitive ecosystem.
This February, two groups have already been caught digging up more than 40 kilograms of wild garlic bulbs each and making them available for removal. However, there are strict rules for collecting the plant. One bunch per person is permitted. If you are in a nature reserve, even one leaf picked is too many. The Federal Nature Conservation Act applies there.
