The city crime branch on Wednesday seized ambergris (sperm whale vomit) worth ₹5.91 crore from Bhandup and arrested two persons who were selling it. The accused have been arrested under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
The crime branch unit 7 officials received a tip-off that two persons were trying to sell a huge quantity of ambergris and were looking for a potential buyer. They also learnt that two would come to Bhandup on Wednesday to hand over ambergris after striking a deal.
Accordingly, crime branch and forest department officials laid a trap and apprehended two persons from service road on the Eastern Express Highway near Bhandup. During their search, 5.9 kg of wax-like substance was seized.
After checking its waxy nature and its specific odour, the forest officials confirmed it to be ambergris. The two accused have been identified as Yogesh Chawhan, 37, and Surender Sav, 39. They were produced before the court, which sent them to police custody till Monday.
According to officials, ambergris, a waxy substance that originates as a secretion in the intestines of the sperm whale, is found floating in tropical seas and is used in perfume manufacture. This species of whale is endangered and protected under the Wild Life (Protection) Act.
The crime branch recently made a couple of seizures of ambergris worth crores of rupees.
In June, unit 4 of the Mumbai crime branch seized 2.7 kg of ambergris worth ₹2.7 lakh from Mulund. However, during its chemical analysis, it was found to be fake and made up of chemicals. The accused revealed that due to its high demand, they had made it in order to dupe people. Original ambergris could fetch up to ₹1 crore for a kg, an official informed.
