A routine wildlife patrol along Northern California’s rugged coast took a bizarre turn over the weekend after officers say a woman attempted to hide illegally harvested abalone inside her pants to avoid detection.

According to a statement shared on Facebook by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the incident unfolded at Van Damme State Park during a coastal patrol in the park’s intertidal zone.

A wildlife officer monitoring shoreline activity with a spotting scope observed a man and woman collecting purple sea urchins. During the observation, the officer noticed the woman discreetly conceal what appeared to be an abalone inside her clothing.

Abalone, a type of sea snail, are heavily protected under California law. Once abundant, red abalone populations collapsed by roughly 85 percent after a 2014 marine heatwave devastated kelp forests along the coast. As a result, California’s recreational red abalone fishery is closed until at least 2036.

After leaving his observation point, the officer contacted the pair in the park’s parking lot before they could depart. During a routine license and catch inspection, the officer asked the woman about the concealed item. She then removed a small abalone from inside her clothing, officials said.

Suspecting there may be more, the officer requested assistance from a female wildlife officer to conduct a further search. After the process was explained, the woman produced a second small abalone from inside her pants, confirming the officer’s concerns.

The woman was cited for illegally taking two abalone, a violation of state wildlife regulations. Her male companion, however, was found to be in full compliance with fishing laws and was not cited.