The decision to use dozens of balloons to decorate a yacht during a recent marriage proposal in Miami turned out to be really costly for a group of people. The lesson authorities want the public to learn: It’s a crime to dispose of balloons in Biscayne Bay.
Highlights
- A witness shared a video on Instagram and environmentalists were outraged.
- Marine animals often mistake the nonbiodegradable deflated balloons for jellyfish.
- Miami-Dade police officers also issued civil citations with more than $23,000 in fines for the illegal dumping at the Bayshore Landing Marina in Coconut Grove.
- Officers arrested Martina Gaspoz, 26, and David Torres-Bocanegra, 29, on charges of willful disregard for the environment, a third-degree felony punishable with a fine of up to $50,000 or imprisonment for 5 years.
- Not everyone who received a $2,510 citation actually touched the balloons or was present for the celebration.