MARGAO: Two Kerala natives have been arrested by Konkan Railway Police for smuggling whale vomit popularly known as ambergris. The Police have seized 5.694 kilograms of Ambergris from the possession of the duo, which is worth a whopping Rs 5.06 crore. The joint operation was carried out by Konkan Railway Police and Railway Security Force with the assistance of Forest Department officials.
Police apprehended two persons namely Arun Rajan, aged 30 and Nibin Varghese, aged 29, both natives of Kerala, who had visited Margao Railway Station, as per the information available, and seized from their possession sticky brownish colour substance properly packed in a carton suspected to be whale vomit (Ambergris). Ambergris is a solid, waxy, flammable substance of a dull grey or blackish colour produced in the digestive system of Sperm whales, which the whales vomit.
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The accused were produced before the JMFC Margao and remanded in five days police custody.
According to PI Sunil Gudlar on February 15, they were informed by Inspector of Railway Protection Force Vinod Mishra, that two male persons within the age group of 25 to 30 years would be visiting Margao Railway Station between 3pm to 4:30 pm to travel by train from Margao Railway Station to Kerala and they would be in possession of the prohibited whale vomit.
Accordingly, PI Konkan Railway Police Station with the assistance of RPF officials and official from Forest Department apprehended Arun Rajan and Nibin Varghese at railway station, Margao.
The whales are largely hunted for obtaining the Ambergris from its digestive tract. The whales are a protected species and hence the possession or trade of any of its by-products, is illegal under the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. The whale vomit has huge demand in the market, as the same is used for medicines and for making expensive perfumes. A kilogram of whale vomit costs above Rs 1 crore. The Konkan Railway Police has seized 5,694 grms of whale vomit valued at Rs 5,60,94,000.
An offence under the relevant provisions under Wildlife Protection Act 1972 has been registered by Konkan Railway Police Station and both the above mentioned persons have been arrested. Police Inspector Sunil Gudlar of Konkan Railway Police Station is conducting further investigation to unearth the source of the seized whale vomit and to establish the persons involved in its trade, under the guidance of SP Konkan Railway Gurudas Gaude and DySP Konkan Railway Gurudas Kadam.
Whale vomit has medicinal value
The whales are largely hunted species for obtaining the Ambergris from its digestive tract. The whales are a protected species and hence the possession or trade of any of its by-products, is illegal under the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. The whale vomit has huge demand in the market, as the same is used for medicines and for making expensive perfumes. A kilogram of whale vomit costs above Rs 1 crore.
