THOOTHUKUDI: In a first-of-its-kind seizure in Tamil Nadu, the Tiruchendur Town police seized ambergris – a waxy secretion of the sperm whale, used in the manufacture of perfume – weighing over two kilograms and worth Rs 2 crore from six men here on Monday. Speaking to TNIE, Tiruchendur police inspector M Gnanasekaran said that based on inputs received by the police, a vehicle search was conducted in the vicinity of Tiruchendur town at 9am.
During the vehicle search conducted by the patrol team formed by the Tiruchendur Deputy Superintendent of Police Harsh Singh and led by Gnanasekaran on the Tiruchendur Taluk Office Road around 11.30 am, six men aboard a car, who were found suspicious were caught and questioned, said the district police in its statement.
The suspects were identified as P Elangovan (52) from Palayapatti in Thanjavur district, R Ramkumar (27) from Aruppukottai in Virudhunagar, J Mohammed Aslam (33) from Aliyur in Nagapattinam, I Raja (34) from Ariyamangalam in Tiruchy, K Venkatesh (48) from Thanjavur and A John Britto (48) from Thanjavur.“During interrogation, the accused men confessed about their plan to find a smuggler buyer in Thoothukudi. The six men were later handed over to the Forest Department officials for further action.