Customs raids homes of actors Dulquer Salmaan and Prithviraj Sukumaran in luxury car smuggling probe

The operation, codenamed 'Operation Numkhor' (Numkhor means 'vehicle' in Bhutanese), targets an alleged racket involving the illegal import of nearly 100 premium second-hand vehicles from Bhutan without paying customs duties. Officials revealed that these high-end vehicles were first registered in Himachal Pradesh before being transported to Kerala, with registration numbers often altered to conceal their origin.

The Smuggling Racket

According to customs sources, the scheme involved bringing pre-owned SUVs into Indian border states, either by road or concealed in containers. "With forged documents, these expensive SUVs are then registered in Himachal Pradesh before being sold in Kerala. We have found vehicles bearing the registrations of Karnataka and Maharashtra, apart from Himachal Pradesh," a source explained.

The vehicles, which were not manufactured in India, were allegedly bought at low prices, refurbished, and then resold at premium rates. The suspected violations include forgeries on the official Parivaran website of the Motor Vehicles Department and the Customs website.

Scope of the Investigation

While high-profile inspections were conducted at the actors' homes, officials emphasized that the operation is systematic and targets both showrooms and individual importers. Authorities confirmed that vehicles found to have been illegally imported will be seized, and owners who cannot produce relevant documents will face punitive action.

"The end users, mainly celebrities who are interested in such vehicles, may not be directly part of the racket, which comprises dealers of used vehicles as well as agents and middlemen," sources indicated.

Actors' Professional Endeavors

Dulquer Salmaan is currently enjoying the success of his recent film Lokah: Chapter 1 – Chandra and will be seen next in I Am Game.

Prithviraj Sukumaran recently directed the big-budget political drama Empuraan and is set to star in the upcoming rural action film Vilayath Buddha. As of now, neither actor has publicly commented on the raids.

The 'Numkhor' operation is expected to continue in multiple phases as part of the government's effort to prevent sophisticated tax evasion in the luxury automobile sector.