Maharashtra crime: On being searched, the trio were found possessing ambergris worth Rs 85.45 lakh, an official said
Representational Pic/File
The Thane Police in Maharashtra on Thursday said that it arrested three persons after ambergris, commonly called 'whale vomit' or 'grey amber', worth more than Rs 85 lakh was recovered from them in Thane district of Maharashtra, an official said on Thursday, reported the PTI.
According to the news agency, the trio was nabbed on October 3 night by a team of forest department personnel during patrolling near a hotel at Mankoli in Bhiwandi taluka of the district, he said.
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"During a routine patrol, the forest team spotted the trio around 11.30 pm. On being searched, they were found possessing ambergris worth Rs 85.45 lakh," an official of Narpoli police station said, as per the PTI.
The forest personnel seized the ambergris and lodged a complaint with the local police, who filed a case under sections of the Wild Life (Protection) Act against the accused and arrested them, he said.
The accused were identified as Umesh Rathod (23), Pawankumar Bharghav (34) and Swapnil Powar (24). Rathod hails from Jalna, while the other two accused are from Palghar district, the police said.
Ambergris, created by the bile duct of the sperm whale, is often called "floating gold" due to the immense price it fetches in the international market for its use in luxury perfumes.
The sperm whale is a protected species under Schedule 2 of the Wildlife Protection Act in India.
The police are trying to find out from where the trio had procured the ambergris and who they were trying to sell, the official said.
Meanwhile, in an another incident, police have unearthed cannabis cultivation on about 20 acres of farm land in Maharashtra's Yavatmal district and seized more than 10 quintal of the contraband worth nearly Rs 30 lakh, officials said on Thursday.
The cannabis plants were grown between cotton and tur crops in six different farms spread over 20 acres in Ghonsara and Bargwadi villages in Mahagaon taluka, they said.
Nearly 10 to 12 quintal of cannabis valued at around Rs 25 lakh to Rs 30 lakh has been seized, Superintendent of Police Pavan Bansod said.
Offences have been registered against four persons in this connection, he said.
(with PTI inputs)
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