The Crime Branch of Pimpri Chinchwad on Wednesday arrested two persons for allegedly smuggling whale vomit or Ambergis as it is popularly known, while they were trying to sell it in Pune. The police recovered 550 gms of ambergris, which is reportedly worth Rs 1.1. crores, from the accused.
As per reports, the police received a tip-off on December 6 about a person who would be coming to an area near the Moshi toll booth to sell the whale vomit. Acting on the input, the police laid down a trap and sent a decoy customer to purchase the rare commodity.
The trap resulted in the detention of a man identified as John Sunil Sathe, from whom police recovered a red-brownish substance. The seized substance was sent to forest department officials who said it was ambergris after conducting tests on it.
Sathe was subsequently arrested after the confirmation from the forest team officials that the substance he was carrying was indeed ambergris. An investigation was launched into the case and Sathe’s interrogation led to the arrest of another man involved in the trafficking of whale vomit. One Ajit Hukumchand Bagmar was arrested by the police after he was identified as the person who had originally supplied the ambergris to Sathe. The efforts to arrest a third suspect who sent the ambergris to Bagmar by courier is still underway. An FIR was registered in Bhosari MIDC police under relevant sections of the wildlife protection act.
Ambergris or whale vomit used for manufacturing rare perfumes
Ambergris, also known as whale vomit, is a grey or blackish substance that is solid, flammable and waxy in nature and is extracted from the intestine of a sperm whale. The substance is produced by the whale to protect its gut from the sharp beaks of its prey, squid. It is often found floating in tropical seas and is used in manufacturing rare perfumes and fragrances. Often, sperm whales are preyed upon for the extraction of ambergris and then exported to Gulf countries for exorbitant prices.
Earlier this year, three persons were arrested from Gujarat for smuggling whale vomit. Similarly, in Thane too, police had arrested two people who were trying to sell ambergris worth Rs 2 crores in the market. The arrest was reportedly made after police received a tip-off about a possible sale of the rare substance, following which they laid a trap and nabbed the accused who were in possession of ambergris.
