Surat, April 20 (IANS) Three men from the Dindoli area of Surat were arrested on Monday after police seized 1.071 kilograms of ambergris, a rare and waxy substance produced in the intestines of sperm whales, officials said.
The illegal substance, valued at Rs 1.07 crore, was recovered during a raid in the city.
The three arrested men have been identified as Ambrish Mishra (34), a delivery executive originally from Jaunpur district in Uttar Pradesh; Sonu alias Bablu Upadhyay (40), a rickshaw driver from Jaunpur; and Sandeep Upadhyay (35), also a rickshaw driver from Jaunpur. All three were living in Surat.
The ambergris was found in a white and red full-design plastic bag in their possession.
DCP SOG (Special Operations Group) Rajdipsinh Nakum said the men had been given the ambergris by Dhiru Vaghela and Umesh Paliya about three months ago near the Bharuch seashore.
“For the last week, these individuals were roaming around trying to sell it and looking for customers. During this time, someone got information and tipped off the SOG, leading to their arrest,” he said.
Nakum added that Mishra works as a Flipkart delivery person, while Sonu and Sandeep Upadhyay are both rickshaw drivers.
No criminal history has been found against any of the three.
Nakum noted that the men had come to Surat believing its status as an economic hub would help them find buyers. “However, such customers are never found,” he said.
He further added, “Any cosmetic manufacturing company always purchases ambergris only from authorised government-approved dealers. No company buys from such illegal elements.”
He urged people who find ambergris on the seashore to contact the Forest Department or the police immediately.
“If anyone finds ambergris, they should always contact the Forest Department or the police and deposit it with the government,” Nakum said.
Ambergris is a waxy substance that initially has a foul smell but develops a sweet fragrance over time.
It is used as a fixative in the perfume industry and is known as “floating gold” because of its high value.
Its trade is illegal in India and is punishable under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
The three accused have been handed over to the Gujarat Forest Department’s Dumas office for further investigation.
–IANS
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