Two men in their 50s were arrested while trying to sell Rs 3 crore worth of ambergris in Banashankari 3rd Stage, South Bengaluru, police said.
Mohammed Riyaz Ahmed, 58, a resident of Banashankari, and Mohammed Ghouse, 51, of Kumaraswamy Layout, were arrested from Banagiri Nagar around 11.45 am on Wednesday.
About 3.6 kg of ambergris was seized from them, police said, adding that they acted on a specific tip.
Police are investigating the source of ambergris and if the duo had any accomplices.
Ambergris is a waxy substance produced in the gastrointestinal tract of sperm whales and is highly valued for its medicinal and aromatic uses.
In India, it’s illegal to sell ambergris because the sperm whale has been classified as an endangered species under the Wildlife Protection Act.
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