Attempted Palmetto berry harvest leads to arrest of four Florida men in Gulf Shores

GULF SHORES, Ala. ( WKRG ) — What Kayla Stull saw on her way to dinner Wednesday as she was driving along Newberry Road was enough to make her uneasy, to say the least.

“We see one guy flipping a bag over his shoulder, it was a white bag and then another guy dove into the back of his truck and shut it really quick.”

That was enough to spark a call to the police who spotted the truck and pulled it over.

“Inside that vehicle, they located approximately 18 bags containing palmetto berries,” said Carl Wittstruck with Gulf Shores Police.

Four suspects were arrested but not charged with any berry offense but with possession of marijuana. “They had come here to harvest them and transport them back to the state of Florida where they would be sold,” said Wittstruck.

This is the second berry heist in the last week in Gulf Shores. A call about a reckless driver resulted in what looked like a clown car opening up with 30 bags of the berries confiscated and more than half of dozen people escaping into the night. “I have absolutely never seen anything like this before,” added Wittstruck.

The berry is used in dietary supplements to treat everything from urinary symptoms to hair loss. It is illegal to harvest them in Florida without a permit. They can sell for up to 10 dollars a pound.

It is illegal for multiple reasons, including the impact on wildlife and the rate it takes for the berry to grow.

“I thought it was actual drugs in bags.” For Kayla Stull, this vacation has been quite an adventure. “Weird! Never heard of illegal berry picking ever.”

Federal authorities have been notified of both cases.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.