Thane smugglers arrested with ambergris worth Rs 3 crore

The police have registered a case against the two under the Indian Penal Code and the Wild Life (Protection) Act as it is illegal to sell, transfer, possess or trade in ambergris in India.

Thane: The police in Maharashtra’s Thane city have arrested two persons after recovering ambergris or whale vomit worth about Rs 3 crore from them, an official said on Friday.

Senior inspector Kirankumar Kabadi of Wagle Estate police station said they had received inputs that two persons would be arriving near a hotel in their jurisdiction to sell some smuggled goods.

The police intercepted two men after they reached the place carrying a sack. A search revealed that the duo from neighbouring coastal Raigad district was carrying ambergris worth nearly Rs 3 crore.

The police have registered a case against the two under the Indian Penal Code and the Wild Life (Protection) Act, he added.

Ambergris, created by the bile duct of the sperm whale, is often called 'floating gold' due to the immense price it fetches in the international markets for its use in luxury perfumes.

The sperm whale is protected under Schedule II of the Wildlife (Protection) Act and it is illegal to sell, transfer, possess or trade in ambergris in India.