Ahmedabad Crime Branch seizes ambergris worth ₹3 cr from Surat resident, leads to 3 other accomplices

The Ahmedabad City Crime Branch has arrested four individuals in connection with the illegal possession and attempted sale of ambergris, a rare and highly valued substance known as sperm whale vomit estimated to be worth ₹2.9 crore in the black market.

Acting on a tip-off that an individual was travelling from Surat to Ahmedabad to sell ambergris, officials detained Ameer Mansuri. A video of ambergris found on his mobile phone led to further interrogation and a subsequent raid at a residence in Surat city. There, officers recovered 2.904 kg of the substance, scientifically identified as a secretion from the digestive system of sperm whales and widely used in the international perfume industry for its fixative properties.

The arrested individuals have been identified as:

1. Usman Shaikh (26), resident of Phulwadi, Surat.  

2. Sahad Ali alias Babu (29), resident of Subhash Nagar, Surat.  

3. Mohammad Hanif (21), resident of Rander, Surat.  

4. Ameer Mansuri (25), a freezer repair technician residing in Katargam, Surat, originally from Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh.

Along with the ambergris, the police seized one Apple mobile phone worth ₹50,000 and one Vivo phone worth ₹25,000, taking the total value of seized assets to ₹2.91 crore. The Crime Branch has initiated further investigation to trace the source of the ambergris and to determine whether the accused are linked to a wider smuggling syndicate.

Ambergris is protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as sperm whales are listed under Schedule I of the Act. Possession, trade, or transport of ambergris is considered illegal and a punishable offence under Sections 9, 39, 49B, and 51 of the Act. Conviction under these provisions can result in imprisonment of up to seven years along with fines.