THRISSUR: The Forest Department officials on Friday arrested three men who carried whale vomit (ambergris) worth Rs 30 crore with them. The arrested are Vadanappally native Rafeeq, Palayoor native Faisal and Ernakulam native Hamsa. The three were nabbed in a joint operation by the Central Forest Department Crime Bureau and the Thrissur Forest Department Crime Squad.

The seized ambergris weighs 18 kg. Ambergris is in great demand in the perfume market. Ambergris is protected under the Wildlife Conservation Act. These were widely used to make perfume. Their use was later banned. The vomit of sperm whales is known as the treasure of the sea and the flowing gold. This is the secretion of the whale. When a whale vomits, it is first seen as a liquid. Later, it will get solidified. It also has a pungent odor. Last June, the forest department had arrested three people in Mumbai for trying to sell ambergris worth Rs 2.7 crore.