During the operation, 36 luxury cars were taken into custody for allegedly being smuggled into the country from Bhutan using fake documents. From Dulquer's residence in Kochi, officials seized a Land Rover.
Published Sep 26, 2025 | 6:24 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 26, 2025 | 6:24 PM
Dulquer Salmaan. (dulQuer/ Twitter)
Synopsis: The raids are part of a nationwide Operation Numkhor, to probe the alleged smuggling of high-end vehicles through Bhutan by evading customs duties. In Kerala, inspections were carried out at 30 locations across five districts, including the homes of actors Prithviraj Sukumaran, Dulquer Salmaan, and Amit Chakkalackal, in coordination with the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD).
Actor Dulquer Salmaan has approached the Kerala High Court against the Customs department’s decision to seize his luxury car. The actor is among several celebrities under investigation for alleged tax evasion.
The raids are part of a nationwide Operation Numkhor, to probe the alleged smuggling of high-end vehicles through Bhutan by evading customs duties. In Kerala, inspections were carried out at 30 locations across five districts, including the homes of actors Prithviraj Sukumaran, Dulquer Salmaan, and Amit Chakkalackal, in coordination with the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD).
During the operation, 36 luxury cars were taken into custody for allegedly being smuggled into the country from Bhutan using fake documents. From Dulquer’s residence in Kochi, officials seized a Land Rover.
In his petition, Dulquer argued that the car had originally been brought into India by the Red Cross and that he purchased it later after following all the required legal procedures. He has asked the High Court to set aside the seizure.
Customs authorities, however, said they would be summoning the owners of the seized vehicles to submit proper documents and appear for questioning.
Investigators also revealed that some of these cars were linked to gold and drug smuggling. The preliminary inquiry has pointed to tax evasion, money laundering, and even possible links to terror financing.
Customs Commissioner Tiju described the case as a serious threat to both national and economic security, warning that such networks could be misused to smuggle in any illegal goods.
The modus operandi under probe involves importing cars into Bhutan, registering them there, and later transferring them to Indian states — first Himachal Pradesh, and subsequently Kerala — at reduced tax rates.
Customs said about 150–200 cars were smuggled through a Coimbatore-based network, illegally registered in Himachal Pradesh, and then brought to Kerala. Inspections were also held at the residences of industrialists and at luxury car dealerships in the state.
Sources said the Customs raid uncovered 198 luxury vehicles imported from Bhutan to India by evading taxes. Authorities are investigating the number of these vehicles that are currently in Kerala. The information about the imports was obtained from official records, including data from vehicle dealers.
During the ongoing probe, around 20 luxury SUVs have been seized from the state, with 11 recovered from Kozhikode and Malappuram districts. The seized vehicles will be sent to the Customs office at Karipur Airport.
Actors whose vehicles were seized will be summoned to appear in person, along with all relevant documents. Authorities will determine whether the actors were aware of the illegal activities associated with the import of their vehicles.
Further investigations will explore potential money laundering linked to the cross-border imports. Depending on the findings, the case may be transferred to other investigative agencies for deeper scrutiny. The Commissioner also acknowledged the assistance provided by the state’s Anti-Terror Squad and Motor Vehicles Department during the raids.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) will probe black money transactions, while the central GST department will handle tax evasion. State police will investigate fake documentation, including fraud linked to the Parivahan portal.
The operation, code-named Numkhor (Bhutanese for vehicle), targeted cars discarded by the Bhutanese army and sold illegally in India. Stars and others had spent over ₹25 lakh on these vehicles.
Reportedly, investigators have found black money deals, forged embassy and military papers, and tampered e-vehicle registrations. The racket worked by dismantling vehicles in Bhutan, smuggling the parts into India, and reassembling them.
Another loophole exploited was the allowance for Bhutanese citizens to bring their cars across the border.
(Edited by Sumavarsha, with inputs from Sreelakshmi Soman)
