Surat, Sep 30 (PTI) Nine persons have been arrested with ‘ambergris’ (whale vomit) worth Rs 8.77 crore in Gujarat’s Surat city, police said on Tuesday.
Acting on a tip-off, the police intercepted the accused who were carrying the contraband in two vehicles in the Umra area of the city, an official said.
The accused, who hail from different parts of the state, have been arrested under the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, the police stated in a release.
Ambergris is a waxy substance produced by the digestive system of sperm whales and is used in perfumery.
It is also known as “floating gold” because of its high value, and its trade is illegal in India under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. PTI COR KA ARU
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