10 arrested for illegal transport of whale vomit worth Rs 10 crore
Ambergris — a rare secretion from sperm whales used illegally in high-end perfumes, traditional medicine and food — falls under Wildlife Protection Act, which prohibits its trade in India
BENGALURU: Acting on a tip-off, Kodagu police on Thursday arrested 10 men and seized 10.39 kg of ambergris — commonly known as whale vomit — valued at about ₹10 crore on the black market. Officers intercepted two cars near Heggala in Bettoli village, Virajpet taluk, just as the suspects allegedly planned to sell the contraband in Karnataka after transporting it from Kerala.
The accused hail from Thiruvananthapuram, Kannur, Kasaragod and Kozhikode in Kerala and Bhadravathi in Karnataka. Police also confiscated two currency-counting machines believed to have been used for the illicit transaction.
The operation was led by Virajpet DySP Mahesh Kumar, CPI Anoop Madappa, PSI Pramod and personnel from the Virajpet police station. Ambergris — a rare secretion from sperm whales used illegally in high-end perfumes, traditional medicine and food — falls under Wildlife Protection Act, which prohibits its trade in India.
All 10 suspects have been booked under relevant sections of the Wildlife Protection Act and remanded in custody as further investigation continues.