Mumbai Crime: 26 kg of whale vomit seized, four arrested

This picture has been used for representational purpose

A team of forest officials and Mumbai police seized 26 kg of ambergris, commonly known as sperm whale vomit, in two operations and arrested four people. The waxy substance has high demand worldwide for its use as an ingredient in perfumes and in aphrodisiac products.

On July 8, the Mumbai range of the Thane forest department was alerted about a person coming with a large amount of ambergris to sell it.

Santosh Kank, range forest officer Thane Forest Department (Territorial) said, "Our team with help of Unit 10 of the crime branch of Mumbai police laid a trap posing as potential buyers. We arrested one Rajesh Mistry and Diwakar Shetty from Malad East and Kititbhai Wadwhana with the 8 kg ambergris on July 9."

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Kank added, "We learnt that one more person from Karnataka had come to sell ambergris in Mumbai and was staying at a lodge in Andheri for a month. On July 10, one of our team members approached the person posing as a potential buyer and he was arrested with 18 kg of ambergris." The person was identified as Sayed Simbakthulla.

The arrested accused were booked under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and were produced before a court on July 10. The court sent them to forest custody. The sale of ambergris is prohibited in India as the endangered species of sperm whale is protected under wildlife law.