An undocumented man from Brazil was taken into custody in St. Lucie County for the illegal harvesting of saw palmetto berries, marking the first such arrest of the 2025 season. Macendy Georges, age 35, was arrested yesterday on FEC property, where he was found with a 50-pound bag of the harvested berries, CBS12 reports.
The St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office's (SLCSO) agricultural department conducted the arrest and, Georges was reportedly taken into custody without incident. The sheriff's office has since reminded the public that a valid permit is required for anyone looking to harvest saw palmetto berries, and they have vowed to continue enforcement throughout the season. In another incident, an organized crime ring involving undocumented migrants was stopped by the Martin County Sheriff's Office for stealing the same type of berries from legal harvesters, as per previous coverage by CBS12.
The enforcement of saw palmetto berry harvesting came into the spotlight last year when increased demands for the berry, which is commonly used in herbal supplements, led to a spike in poaching and illegal trade. Per the SLCSO's agricultural unit, documented on their Facebook page, failure to adhere to the permit requirements will lead to similar arrests as Georges’s.
The berries were recovered as evidence against Georges, shedding light on the serious nature of the offense.
