Jan. 20: Police have picked up the scent of agarwood smuggling in distant Mumbai.

A probe into the recent haul of agarwood has led city police to an affluent businessman based in the western metropolis.

A police source said investigations into the seized consignment of agarwood at Jorabat on Thursday has revealed that a businessman, who has his roots in Assam, may be the kingpin of the illegal export of the forest product from the state. “From the investigations carried out so far, Mumbai-based businessman Anwar Hussain has emerged as the prime suspect,” he said. Hussain is from Hojai in Nagaon district.

“We have ascertained that Hussain lives in an apartment at Old Bengalipura Street in Mumbai and subsequently contacted our counterparts in Mumbai to track him down,” the police officer said. He said the seized agarwood consignment was meant for Hussain, who has stakes in the perfume business.

Oil distilled from agarwood is one of the main ingredients used in making high-end perfumes, which is in demand in the West Asia markets. “We have also learnt that Hussain has business interests in United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. He also reportedly has an office in Dubai. All these information are being verified in a bid to bust the well-organised racket involved in smuggling of valuable forest products from the state,” the source added.

City police have already arrested three persons, including a former Youth Congress leader, in connection with this case. The arrested persons were Rashid Ahmed, Kabir Hussain and Sanjay Goswami. A former Youth Congress leader, Goswami is also a city-based businessman, who owns a resort at Khetri on the outskirts of the city.

After he was arrested on Friday, Goswami was shifted to a hospital yesterday when his health condition deteriorated. “Goswami is believed to be the local conduit of Hussain in the illegal agarwood trade. Both are suspected to be involved in smuggling for nearly 10 years,” the police officer said.

The other two accused were arrested with the agarwood consignment weighing 11kg packed in two cartons from a bus during routine checking on National Highway 31 on January 17. The duo were on their way to Guwahati to transport the agarwood to Mumbai through a courier.

They do not send agarwood by air fearing that they might be caught when the cargo is screened, the police source said.