Ahmedabad Police’s Zone-7 Local Crime Branch on Friday arrested four men in Sarkhej after recovering 8.704 kg of ambergris—worth ₹8.70 crore—from their Maruti Swift car. Six mobile phones were also seized, taking the total recovery to ₹8.76 crore.
The arrests were made near Satyadeep Heights close to the Sarkhej–Makarba overbridge after the LCB team, led by PI Y P Jadeja, intercepted the vehicle based on specific intelligence. A search revealed multiple pieces of ambergris hidden inside.
Those arrested have been identified as Rinku Singh Rajput (21), Shashank Pandey (29), Ajex Shaishelkumar Vyas (23) and Jatin Nelsonbhai Patil (25). Police said they had sourced the ambergris from a Surat-based man, Bipin Solanki, who allegedly tasked them with finding buyers in Ahmedabad.
Ambergris — a rare, high-value substance produced by sperm whales — is widely used in luxury perfumes and traditional medicines and can fetch up to ₹1 crore per kg in the black market.
The seizure includes:
- Ambergris (8.704 kg) worth ₹8.70 crore
- Maruti Swift car worth ₹6 lakh
- Six mobile phones worth ₹45,000
DCP Shivam Verma said the operation stemmed from strong field intelligence and focused patrolling. Police are now tracing the supply chain and others involved in the illegal trade. A case has been registered and further investigation is under way.