Mumbai: Man arrested for possession of Rs 1.7 crore worth whale vomit
Ambergris (whale vomit) is a waxy substance that originates as a secretion in the intestines of the sperm whale, observed floating in tropical seas and used in fragrance manufacture.
A 53-year-old man who had come to promote 1.3 kg of ambergris (whale vomit) worth Rs 1.7 crore, was
arrested in Mumbai, police Tuesday.
Ambergris is a waxy substance that originates as a secretion in the intestines of the sperm whale, observed floating in tropical seas and used in fragrance manufacture.
Acting on a tip-off, a joint team of police and forest branch officers laid a lure Saturday in the Cama Lane of suburban Vidyavihar region and nabbed Rahul Dupare, police said.
“We seized 1.3 kg of ambergris, worth Rs 1.7 crore, from him. It is a prohibited item. We have registered a case underneath relevant sections of the Wildlife Protection Act and have arrested Dupare,” a police reputable said.
The sperm whale is an endangered species covered beneath the Wildlife Act.
Ambergris is soluble in alcohol, chloroform, ether and positive risky and constant oils.
