Six men have been arrested in eastern Germany after stealing nearly 100 kilograms of wild garlic bulbs, police said on Tuesday. 

The six suspects are aged 26–39. An investigation has been launched into a group theft, police said. 

Three of the suspects were arrested near Vermsdorf in the eastern state of Saxony after police smelled a strong odour of garlic in their car. In the boot of the car, officers found several shopping bags full of wild garlic bulbs and harvesting tools. The other suspects were later detained on the outskirts of Leipzig.

The theft of garlic bulbs is a long-standing headache for the Leipzig police. People carrying large quantities from protected areas are regularly detained. The harvest is delivered to customers in the catering sector. 

There are strict rules on digging wild garlic, with only a handful of leaves per person and no picking allowed in protected areas. The wild garlic season usually starts at the end of February.