Ambergris worth Rs 1.85 crore seized in Palghar; two held
Palghar (PTI): The police have seized ambergris or whale vomit worth Rs 1.85 crore and arrested two persons allegedly involved in smuggling the contraband in Maharashtra's Palghar district, an official said on Monday.
Based on a tip-off, the police laid a trap in Nalasopara East and apprehended the accused on Saturday, Deputy Commissioner of Police Poornima Chowgule-Shringi (Zone-2, Vasai) said.
The team intercepted Kader Gafar Karghashra (52), a resident of Jawahar, and recovered 1.858 kg of a yellowish-black, waxy substance confirmed to be ambergris, worth Rs 1.85 crore, she said.
Following the initial arrest, further investigation was launched to identify the source of the contraband, and they zeroed in on Kishore Mahadev Tapsale (39), a resident of Thane, and nabbed him, the DCP said.
A case has been registered under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, she added.
Ambergris, often called "floating gold," is a solid, waxy substance produced in the digestive system of sperm whales and is highly sought after in the international perfume market, despite being strictly prohibited for sale under Indian law.
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US VP JD Vance says Lebanon not part of ceasefire, calls it ‘misunderstanding’
Budapest/Washington: US Vice President J D Vance has said that Lebanon was never included in the ceasefire understanding with Iran, describing the confusion as a “legitimate misunderstanding”.
Speaking to reporters before departing from Hungary, Vance said, “I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon and it just didn’t. We never made that promise.”
He stressed that the United States had not included Lebanon in the scope of the ceasefire at any stage.
His remarks come amid continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon, where more than 200 people were reported killed, even as ceasefire talks between Iran and the US move forward.
Vance said Israel had “offered … to check themselves a little bit in Lebanon because they want to make sure that our negotiation is successful”.
He warned that if Iran allows the situation in Lebanon to affect the negotiations, it could derail the talks.
“If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart in a conflict where they were getting hammered over Lebanon, which has nothing to do with them and which the United States never once said was part of the ceasefire, that’s ultimately their choice,” he said.
