Ten Arrested in Kodagu for Smuggling Ambergris Worth ₹10 Crore

Kodagu police with ten arrested for smuggling rare ambergris from protected sperm whales.

MADIKERI/VIRAJPET: Kodagu police on Wednesday arrested ten individuals for attempting to smuggle and sell ambergris, a rare and valuable substance derived from sperm whales — a protected species under Indian law. The seized ambergris weighs 10.390 kg and is estimated to be worth around ₹10 crore in the international market.

Kodagu Superintendent of Police Ramarajan said that the consignment had been illegally transported from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, and was being brought into Karnataka in a car. Acting on credible intelligence, a police team from Virajpet Town Police Station conducted a raid on April 10 near Heggala Junction in Bettoli village and intercepted the vehicle. The contraband was seized and all ten individuals in the car were taken into custody.

Sperm whales are listed under Schedule 2 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, which makes the possession or trade of any of their byproducts, including ambergris, a punishable offence. A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Act, and further legal proceedings are underway, Ramarajan added.

The arrested individuals have been identified as: Shamsudheen S. (45), M. Nawaz (54), both from Thiruvananthapuram; V.K. Latheesh (53), Rajesh V. (40), Prashanth T. (52), Jobis K.K. (33), and Jijeesh M. (40) — all from Kannur; Raghavendra A.V. (48) from Bhadravathi in Shivamogga district; Balachandra Nayak (55) from Kasaragod; and Saju Thomas (58) from Calicut.

Items seized during the operation include 10.390 kg of ambergris and two currency counting machines, police said.

To advertise on The Kodagu Express website, kindly call us at 9108795369 or mail us at thekodaguexpress@gmail.com 

Join The Kodagu Express WhatsApp Group: CLICK HERE 

Follow us on Instagram and X(Twitter)