4kg whale vomit worth Rs 10 cr seized in Lucknow, 4 arrested

Special Task Force of the Uttar Pradesh Police (UPSTF) has seized over 4kg whale vomit or ambergris worth a mind-boggling Rs 10 crore in Lucknow. The UPSTF has also arrested four members of a gang involved in the smuggling of whale vomit under the Wildlife Protection Act from the Gomtinagar Extension area in Lucknow.

This, however, is not the first time that whale vomit worth crores has been seized in India. In July this year, whale vomit worth Rs 2.6 crore was seized by the Mumbai Police from Marine Drive area. 

In another case, authorities seized ambergris weighing over 28.400 kg worth Rs 28 crore from a group of fishermen near Kerala’s Vizhinjam. Illegal ambergris trade takes place through brokers and middlemen as fishermen do not have contacts and are unable to get the correct prices. 

An official told PTI, “The rise in the instances of the seizure of ambergris has triggered fear that either sperm whales are being poached or there can be adulteration in the substance, as it is highly valued.”

What is ambergris or ‘whale vomit’? 

Ambergris is produced by sperm whales and has often been referred to as treasure of the sea and floating gold. Sperm whales eat cephalopods like squid and cuttlefish in large quantities. 

Indigestible elements like beaks and pens are vomited out before getting digested in most cases but these parts end up going into the whale’s intestines and binding together into a solid mass over many years, according to the UK’s Natural History Museum. 

Ambergris fetches exorbitant price in international markets as it is used in making luxury perfumes.

Also read: Woman finds whale vomit worth nearly 190,000 pounds in Thailand

Also read: There's something very expensive called whale puke, and its smuggler has been arrested in Mumbai