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Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
Fourth arrest in Rs 10cr ambergris case exposes interstate smuggling network
Margao: Sanguem police arrested a fourth person in connection with last week's seizure of ambergris worth Rs 10 crore, further cementing their suspicions that the illegal whale vomit trade involves a sophisticated interstate smuggling syndicate. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Sachin Mhatre, a resident of Pen, Raigad, was apprehended by a special police team and brought to Goa for questioning. The arrest follows the June 6 seizure at Dabamol village in Sanguem, where three men—Sainath Shet from Ponda, Ratuakant Karapurkar from Zuarinagar, and Vegesh Redkar from Sawantwadi—were caught with nearly 6kg of the banned substance. 'A team was sent to Mumbai after interrogation of the three accused arrested earlier. The team succeeded in locating him in Pen, and he was brought to Goa,' said Sanguem PI Ditendra Naik. The investigation revealed that Vegesh Redkar, one of the three men initially arrested, sourced the ambergris from Mhatre. 'His custodial interrogation will reveal further links,' Naik told TOI , confirming that this was indeed an interstate operation. 'There are likely to be more arrests. We will try to get to the bottom of the case and bust the illegal trade.' The Raigad connection validates police suspicions about the organised nature of the smuggling ring. Nevertheless, choosing the remote Dabamol village as a transaction point continues to puzzle the police. This case bears striking similarities to previous ambergris seizures in the region, including the Feb 2024 case where Konkan railway police arrested two Kerala residents with 6kg of whale vomit worth Rs 5.6 crore at Margao railway station. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Police are examining possible connections between these cases and the 2020 Sawantwadi incident involving three Goans. Ambergris, produced in sperm whale digestive systems, commands premium prices in international perfume markets despite being banned under India's Wildlife Protection Act 1972. The substance's rarity and commercial value continue to attract smugglers willing to risk severe legal consequences. All four accused face charges under various sections of the Wildlife Protection Act, including illegal possession and trading of protected marine mammal derivatives.
Time of India
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Over 22L vehicles in Pune need HSRPs, many still unaware of rule
Pune: High security registration plates (HSRP) for vehicles have become mandatory with June 30 as the deadline for fitments to be completed under the jurisdiction of Pune RTO , but many people continue to be unaware of the rule. Ahmed Shaikh (50) runs a small hardware shop in Bibvewadi and is clueless about HSRPs. He said, "I have a couple of two-wheelers and a four-wheeler registered before 2019. Neither am I aware of the rule nor do I know how to proceed with the fitments. I have no expertise with computers or the internet. How should my kind of people go about it? Do we need to contact an agent?" he told TOI. In the last five months, only 1.7 lakh out of 24,28,589 vehicles requiring HSRPs have gone ahead with the procedure. With June 30 as the deadline, around 22.6 lakh vehicles need to get the number plates in the next 43 days. A senior RTO official told TOI, "It is almost impossible. We have been proactive and encouraged citizens to come forward. People have not responded positively, but they should know HSRPs are mandatory for all vehicles registered before April 2019." Sachin Mhatre of Lohegaon works as a plumber. He said, "How is it that we don't know? The RTO has only relied on the news media to spread the word. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cost Of Amusement Park Equipment From Mexico Might Surprise You - See Tips Amusement Park Equipment | search ads Click Here Undo They should have involved other mediums too. It could have been relayed through automated messages when you call someone." In Dec, last year, Pune RTO had launched a website ( for those who needed the new number plates. The first deadline was March 31, then April 30 and finally June 30. "We don't know whether there will be a further extension. If not, action will be taken against vehicles without HSRPs. We have started a help desk at the RTO office to help citizens," another RTO official said. Pankaj Kolhe, a Pashan resident, runs a small business. He said, "The website has issues and the appointments are stretched. Also, fitters do not arrive on time if one opts for home fitment. The RTO must consider such problems and fix it. I will get it done for my vehicles when things are smoother."
