Sirsi: On Monday night, the Sirsi police seized whale vomit (ambergris) worth Rs 5 crore from a duo who was allegedly trying to sell it in town.
The accused were apprehended in the town’s Marathi Koppa area by a police force led by PSI Bhimashankar Chinnur and guided by CPI Ramachandra Nayak, DySP Ravi DI.
Santosh Balachandra Kamath, a resident of Belagavi, and Rajesh Poojary, a resident of Sirsi are the accused said the sources.
This is the first time Sirsi police have recovered whale vomit. According to the police, one kilogramme of ambergris, often known as whale vomit, is worth Rs. one crore on the international market.
The police said the duo were trying to sell the ambergris, but could not able to sell it. It is said that they got the material from a lady in Haveri and the police investigating the case. The accused are in judicial custody now, said the sources.
Why is Ambergris so expensive?
Ambergris, sometimes known as grey amber, is also known as floating gold. It is a solid, waxy material that sperm whales generate and excrete. The faeces are used to make perfume. It is utilised in the production of musk scents.
It is also stated that whale faeces is used in several traditional remedies.
