The seizure was valued at Rs 7.70 crore, police said. IN THEIR second haul of ambergris or whale vomit over the past fortnight, the Mumbai Crime Branch on Tuesday arrested two persons with 7 kg of the highly expensive substance used in making high-end perfumes and medicines among other items. The seizure was valued at Rs 7.70 crore, police said.
Due to its high value, it is also called “floating gold” as it is sometimes found floating on the surface of water bodies. In several cases, however, sperm whales, which secrete this substance, are killed to obtain ambergris. Under the Wildlife Protection Act, it is illegal to buy or sell ambergris.
According to police, the Mumbai Crime Branch (Unit V) received a tip-off that two persons would come to Lower Parel to sell over 7 kg ambergris and were looking for a seller. A team along with forest officers went to Sitaram Mill compound in Lower Parel, police added.
Police said the two suspects arrived at the spot in an Innova car, following which their vehicle was searched. The team found 7.70 kg of a reddish brown substance, they added.
An officer said going by the rate of Rs 1 crore per kg in the international market, the seizure was worth Rs 7.70 crore. The officer also said both the suspects hailed from Raigad, and that police were now trying to find out the details of the buyer.
Last week too, the crime branch arrested three persons from Mulund with ambergris worth over Rs 2 crore.
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