The action came amid an ongoing investigation into the alleged smuggling of high-end pre-owned luxury vehicles from Bhutan and related unauthorised foreign exchange transactions.
Published Oct 08, 2025 | 12:40 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 08, 2025 | 12:40 PM
ED conducts raids at 17 locations, including the residences of Dulquer Salmaan, Prithviraj, and Amith Chakkalackal.
Synopsis: The Kochi Zonal Office of the ED carried out coordinated raids to check FEMA violations across 17 locations in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, regarding the smuggling of high-end pre-owned luxury vehicles from Bhutan. The searches targeted the residences and offices of Prithviraj Sukumaran, Dulquer Salmaan, and Amith Chackalackal, along with several car owners, automobile workshops, and dealers.
Kerala woke up on Wednesday, 8 October, to flashing news from Kochi as multiple celebrities came under the Enforcement Directorate (ED) radar. The Kochi Zonal Office of the ED carried out coordinated early morning raids to check Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) violations across 17 locations in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
The action came amid an ongoing investigation into the alleged smuggling of high-end pre-owned luxury vehicles from Bhutan and related unauthorised foreign exchange transactions.
The searches targeted the residences and offices of Prithviraj Sukumaran, Dulquer Salmaan, and Amith Chackalackal, along with several car owners, automobile workshops, and dealers in Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kottayam, and Coimbatore.
Raids were also conducted at the houses of Dulquer Salmaan’s father and actor Mammootty, including the one in Kadavanthra, where they currently reside.
According to ED’s official statement, the operation was prompted by intelligence exposing a syndicate engaged in the illegal import and registration of luxury vehicles, such as Toyota Land Cruiser, Land Rover Defender, and Maserati, smuggled into India via Bhutan and Nepal.
Initial findings suggest that a Coimbatore-based network allegedly used forged documents claiming affiliation with the Indian Army, US Embassy, and Ministry of External Affairs, in addition to fraudulent Regional Transport Office (RTO) registrations in several states, including Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh.
The vehicles were reportedly sold to high-net-worth individuals, including celebrities, at undervalued prices. The ED has initiated proceedings for apparent violations of Sections 3, 4, and 8 of FEMA, involving unauthorised foreign exchange transactions and cross-border payments via hawala channels.
Investigators are now tracing the money trail, identifying the beneficiary network, and examining the movement of foreign funds connected to the racket.
Speaking to South First, a Customs official revealed that additional central agencies are likely to join the ongoing investigation. The MVD is also conducting intensive searches to locate more vehicles that were allegedly brought into India illegally from neighbouring countries.
”There is a possibility that multiple unlawful activities are linked to such rackets. We can expect further searches and more agency interventions in the coming days,” the official said.
The ED action comes on the heels of a large-scale operation by the Kochi Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate, which began on 23 September. Over 30 locations, including the homes of prominent film actors, were raided as part of Operation Numkhor.
The Customs probe had previously flagged 150–200 vehicles with irregularities in the national transport database, allegedly linked to the same Coimbatore-based racket now under ED scrutiny. While officials also visited actor Prithviraj’s residence in Kochi, no vehicles were confiscated from his property.
The operation led to the seizure of 39 high-value pre-owned cars suspected of being smuggled from Bhutan over the past few years.
On Tuesday, in a major relief for Dulquer Salmaan, the Kerala High Court upheld his right to seek the release of his luxury SUV seized by the Customs Department under Operation Numkhor.
A division bench led by Justice Ziyad Rahman AA directed Dulquer Salmaan to approach the Additional Commissioner of Customs in Kochi for the provisional release of his Land Rover Defender under Section 110A of the Customs Act.
The court said the application must be considered within a week of submission and that the fact the vehicle has been registered by various authorities over the past two decades should be taken into account.
The bench also clarified that any rejection of his plea must be through a speaking order citing specific reasons.
In his petition, Dulquer Salmaan maintained that he lawfully purchased the vehicle from Aarpee Promoters Pvt. Ltd. five years ago, with all payments made through bank transactions. He produced documents showing that the SUV was originally imported by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), New Delhi, and had valid customs clearances and invoices.
On Monday, the Customs released 33 of the 39 vehicles seized under Operation Numkhor to their respective owners for safe custody, while six others, including actor Dulquer Salmaan’s two SUVs — a Land Rover Defender and a Nissan Patrol — and actor Amit’s Toyota Land Cruiser, remain under Customs control pending further probe.
Officials said the decision to release most vehicles was due to difficulties in securely storing high-value cars. The release is only for safekeeping, and the vehicles cannot be used or moved without permission. Customs sources said they identified about 140 such vehicles in Kerala and are working with the Police and the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) to trace the rest.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
