Mumbai Police have arrested a 24-year-old man from Malad’s Malvani area for allegedly attempting to sell whale vomit, commonly known as ambergris, valued at Rs 1.15 crore in the international market. The accused has been identified as Adnan Asif Khan, a resident of Borivali.
Police seized 1 kg and 157 grams of ambergris from his possession. A case has been registered against him under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Wildlife Protection Act. The court has remanded him to police custody.
According to police, the Malvani police patrol team was conducting a late-night round on Saturday on the instructions of senior officials. At around 12:30 am, they noticed a youth behaving suspiciously near Sai Baba Temple on Marve Road in Malvani, Malad.
When the police approached him for questioning, he allegedly tried to flee. Police chased and attempted to detain him, during which he reportedly attacked officers and tried to obstruct government duty. However, the police overpowered him and took him into custody.
During the search of his belongings, officers recovered 1 kg and 157 grams of whale vomit. Investigation revealed that the accused had come to the spot to sell the contraband but was caught before the deal could take place.
Further inquiry revealed that Adnan works with Amazon and has no prior criminal record. Police said the ambergris had been handed over to him for sale by another youth from Thane, who had allegedly sourced it from Surat.
Investigators suspect that a gang involved in the illegal trade of whale vomit is active in Surat and is supplying the substance to various cities through its network. A Malvani police team is expected to visit Thane and Surat soon to trace and arrest other accused persons involved in the racket.