Bhavnagar man caught with ₹1 cr ambergris, supplier on the run

Bhavnagar constabulary person arrested a antheral with 1.10 kg of ambergris—also called whale vomit—worth an estimated ₹1 crore adjacent Bagdana cheque station successful Thadach village, arsenic portion of a increasing crackdown connected the amerciable commercialized on Gujarat’s coastline.

The accused, Pradip Gujariya, a nonmigratory of Timba country successful Sartanpar, Talaja taluka, was apprehended pursuing a tip-off received earlier this week by the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Palitana division. Acting swiftly, a constabulary squad laid a trap astatine the cheque station and arrested Gujariya successful possession of the contraband, which is banned nether the Wildlife (Protection) Act.

‘Paid a pittance’

During interrogation, Gujariya claimed helium had been paid conscionable ₹5,000 to transport the ambergris by Mehul alias Chhotu Rameshbhai Bambhaniya, a nonmigratory of the aforesaid village. The wood section was informed, and the seized worldly was taken into custody. While Gujariya was arrested, Bambhaniya is inactive absconding.

Police said Bambhaniya has been evading apprehension for implicit a month. He was antecedently caught by the Bhavnagar Local Crime Branch successful possession of 1.358 grams of ambergris and is already facing charges nether wildlife extortion laws.

Investigators revealed that Gujariya cited fiscal distress arsenic the crushed for his engagement successful the amerciable trade. According to police, helium disclosed that his girl suffers from a bosom information and ongoing aesculapian costs had placed immense unit connected the family. He told officers that Bambhaniya exploited this vulnerability by offering a speedy outgo for transportation of the contraband.

Why is ambergris banned?

Ambergris is simply a rare, waxy substance produced successful the intestines of sperm whales, which are protected nether Schedule I of the Act. It forms erstwhile the whale's digestive strategy coats crisp objects (like squid beaks) successful a protective fatty material. 

Rather than being existent whale vomit, ambergris is occasionally expelled done the whale’s faeces and floats successful the ocean, wherever it hardens implicit time. 

Because it’s truthful uncommon and has a chiseled musky smell, it tin merchantability for tens of thousands of dollars per kilogram, and is utilized successful luxury perfumes and accepted medicine. 

Even if ambergris is collected from the water and not taken from a killed whale, the instrumentality treats it arsenic a wildlife product, and its commercialized is considered illegal. The commercialized incentivizes amerciable hunting oregon exploitation of whales.

Rising incidents on Bhavnagar coast

Bhavnagar district, with implicit 150 kilometers of coastline, has seen a surge successful ambergris-related arrests implicit the past year. Authorities accidental the portion has go a hotspot for smuggling, prompting an summation successful surveillance and associated operations betwixt constabulary and wood officials.

The probe into Bambhaniya’s web is ongoing. Police person registered a lawsuit against him and others believed to beryllium involved.

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Bhavnagar antheral arrested for attempting to merchantability whale vomit worthy ₹1.16 crore