Reggio Emilia, August 12, 2026 – A cave hidden in the woods of the Reggio Apennines, along the Enza river, had been turned into a real illegal construction site. It was discovered by the carabinieri, engaged in an investigation coordinated by the Reggio Prosecutor’s Office, which in July 2026 led to the seizure of tools used to illegally dig underground in search of possible archaeological finds.
Read more Scolds girl who kicks the car: attacked and beaten by the parents
A stratigraphic excavation
Inside the natural cavity, located in a particularly inaccessible area, a stratigraphic excavation had been set up. The Forestale carabinieri, with the support of the Carabinieri Cultural Heritage Protection Unit of Bologna, found several excavation tools and the remains of an improvised bivouac, with abandoned waste. The officers proceeded with the complete removal of the materials and the cleaning of the area.
Illegal excavations
Illegal excavations constitute a serious danger to the archaeological heritage, reports the Carabinieri. An intervention carried out without a scientific method can indeed irreparably compromise the stratigraphy of the soil, erasing valuable information to reconstruct the history of the places.
The law establishes that archaeological finds discovered underground belong to the State and that research and excavation activities must be authorized by the Ministry of Culture, carried out by qualified personnel and supervised by the competent Superintendency. Even in the case of accidental discovery, reporting is mandatory.
The operation is the result of collaboration between the Cultural Heritage Protection Unit, which helped reconstruct the modus operandi of the illegal explorers, and the Forestale, which brought its knowledge of the mountainous territory. The investigations, which involved the use of drones, camera traps, and personnel trained to operate in inaccessible terrain, continue to identify those responsible.
