Customs seize 36 smuggled luxury cars in Kerala; actors Dulquer Salmaan, Amith Chakkalakkal among owners under probe
Customs officials are investigating whether the owners, including the celebrities, were aware of the smuggling racket when they purchased the cars.
Customs officials are investigating whether the owners, including the celebrities, were aware of the smuggling racket when they purchased the cars.
Customs officials are investigating whether the owners, including the celebrities, were aware of the smuggling racket when they purchased the cars.
Kochi: In a sweeping crackdown on luxury cars smuggled into India through Bhutan, the Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate, Kochi, seized 36 premium vehicles in simultaneous raids across Kerala on Tuesday. The vehicles were imported, evading customs duty, and registered using forged documents.
Among those under the scanner are well-known Malayalam actors. Officials confirmed that two vehicles registered in the name of actor Dulquer Salmaan and six belonging to actor Amith Chakkalakkal were seized. The list includes a Land Rover Defender and a Toyota Prado linked to Salmaan. One more of his vehicles, and two more belonging to Chakkalakkal, remain under scrutiny. While Customs also inspected actor Prithviraj’s residence, none of his vehicles were taken into custody.
The other seized vehicles were found registered in the names of several high-net-worth individuals (HNIs), including prominent businessmen and senior officials. Raids were conducted in Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kuttippuram, and Thrissur. Officials estimate that 150–200 such vehicles may be operating in Kerala alone, with the hunt on to trace and confiscate the rest.
Customs officials are investigating whether the owners, including the celebrities, were aware of the smuggling racket when they purchased the cars. “They will be summoned and questioned. If they fail to provide valid documents proving a genuine purchase, they will face strict consequences, including possible arrest,” an official said. Chakkalakkal appeared before Customs on Tuesday and may be summoned again.
Operation ‘Numkhor’
According to T Tiju, Commissioner of Customs (Preventive), Kochi, the coordinated operation, codenamed Numkhor, meaning “vehicle” in Bhutan’s Dzongkha language, was carried out at more than 30 locations with support from the Kerala Transport Commissionerate, Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), and state police.
“The import of second-hand vehicles into India is prohibited, except under the Transfer of Residence (TR) facility through designated ports and on payment of nearly 160 per cent duty,” Tiju explained. “As per our information, these cars were smuggled into India either in Completely Knocked Down (CKD) condition, hidden inside cargo containers, or driven disguised as tourist vehicles. Several reports also indicate that such cars have been used earlier to smuggle gold and narcotics into India.”
A threat to national security
Calling the racket a “serious national security threat,” Tiju said the seized cars were registered in multiple states using forged paperwork. “The smugglers used counterfeit seals and documents purportedly belonging to the Indian Army, and even Indian and foreign embassies, to get the vehicles registered. Every one of the 36 cars seized has violated multiple rules as per the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).”
Investigators said the syndicate exploited Bhutan’s low import duties and porous forest borders with India to bring in the vehicles. Cars purchased for a few lakhs in Bhutan were smuggled in and re-registered in India, where they were resold at five to ten times the original price.
“The racket even manipulated MoRTH’s Parivahan portal to create fake ownership records for registration. This could be either through hacking or moles inside MoRTH,” Tiju added. “The seized vehicles were all purchased through illegal transactions. We are now verifying the money trail.”
When asked if the proceeds could have been diverted to terror funding, the commissioner said, “That possibility needs to be thoroughly investigated. Other agencies, including the National Investigation Agency, Enforcement Directorate, Income Tax Department, and GST intelligence, may also step in.”
Wider racket uncovered
Customs officials revealed that a racket operating from Coimbatore was instrumental in smuggling Indian and foreign currency into Bhutan to purchase these vehicles. “The network has been identified. More details will emerge as the investigation progresses,” an official said.
Many of the seized cars are still not re-registered in Kerala, even though many of them were purchased months ago.