Chennai, July 10 (BPNS)

Tamil Nadu forest department on Sunday seized Amergris worth Rs 3.7 crore near Vedaranyam in Nagapattinam district. Forest special team led by Vedaranyam range officer B. Ayub arrested six persons in connection with this seizure.

The arrested are M. Andavar (41) of Arukatuthurai, A. Sivalingam (43) of Arukatuthurai, D. Manivasagan ( 41) of Periyakathurai,

 S. Omprakash( 48) of Keezhamadavilagam, R. Ilayaraja (38) of Orathur and V. Saravanan (46) of Mangudi.

Forest department in a statement said that Andavar and Sivalingam were trying to sell the ambergris to Ilayaraja and others when the team intercepted them and arrested the six. The department officials said that the potential buyers were trying to smuggle it to some foreign country.

It is to be noted that ambergris is a solid waxy substance originating from the intestine of the sperm whale and is in high demand in several foreign countries. Recently some people were arrested in Tiruchi and Madurai while trying to smuggle out star tortoises to Malaysia and Singapore.

Forest department officials told BPNS that many rackets are using local people for such smuggling and ambergris smuggling was on the rise in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.