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Two arrested for possession of whale vomit

Real ambergris from a whale. By Photographer: Peter Kaminski - Flickr  CC BY 2.0

Rizwan Fadnis and Rajesh Surve, both 33, were arrested outside a bus depot in Mumbai for being in possession of 7 kg of whale vomit valued at over $275,000 reports The Hindu. The substance, also known as ambergris, is unlawful to possess without a license.

From the article:

“The accused tried to sell the whale vomit by claiming that its consumption helps increase the libido. Ambergris is mainly used in perfumes and cosmetics and fetches a handsome price based on its age. It has an unpleasant smell soon after it is secreted, and as it ages, starts producing a sweet smell,” an officer said.

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