THANE: The Thane crime branch arrested a man attempting to sell whale vomit (ambergris) from the Saket road area of Thane coty.
The accused, identified as Nitin Morelu (52), was found in possession of 5 kilograms and 48 grams of ambergris. The seized whale vomit is estimated to be worth five crore rupees, said a senior police official.
Sleuths from crime branch Unit 1 of received information that someone would be arriving in the Saket Road area to sell whale vomit.
Acting on this tip, police set up a trap in the Saket Road area on Monday evening around 6 PM. They spotted a suspicious-looking man walking with a bag. When the police team searched him, they discovered pieces of ambergris.
During questioning, he identified himself as Nitin Morelu from the Dighi area of Pune. The police seized the ambergris from his possession.
According to the investigation, Morelu obtained the ambergris from someone in Nashik and was planning to sell it for 80 lakh rupees.
The offense was then registered under various sections of the Wildlife Protection Act and was registered against the duo with the local police station.
The ambergris seized by the police is costly and fetches good money in illegal markets. It is used in medicines, highly costly perfumes, and at times in the oil industry, petroleum products, and even lubricants.
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