Kerala: In one of the largest crackdowns of its kind, officials from the Customs Preventive Commissionerate have seized dozens of high-end vehicles smuggled into India using falsified documentation bearing counterfeit seals of the Indian Army and the United States Embassy.
The operation, dubbed “Operation Numkhor”, unfolded across multiple districts in Kerala on Tuesday, with searches carried out at approximately 30 premises. Among the locations raided were properties linked to prominent film personalities including actors Prithviraj Sukumaran, Dulquer Salmaan, and Amit Chakkalackal.
Speaking to the press, Customs Preventive Commissioner T. Tiju confirmed that 36 luxury vehicles were taken into custody during the raids. “These vehicles were brought into the country illegally, primarily routed through Bhutan, and sold using forged documents,” he said.
What initially appeared to be a luxury car smuggling racket has now widened into a more serious investigation, as authorities believe the same network was also involved in trafficking gold and narcotics. Cases have been registered under multiple charges, and further links to organized smuggling syndicates are being explored.
Customs officials revealed that the forged documentation included fake registration papers, Army and diplomatic seals, and falsified ownership credentials designed to bypass import duties and regulatory checks.
Several of the seized vehicles were reportedly being operated under the guise of official or diplomatic use, giving them cover from routine inspection and enforcement.
While the film stars whose residences were searched have not been formally accused, sources indicate that the vehicles in question were registered under or linked to entities associated with them. Authorities have said that the individuals concerned will be summoned for questioning to determine the extent of their involvement, if any.
According to investigators, Bhutan was used as a transit point due to relaxed import-export norms within the South Asian region. The vehicles were then transported into India under the pretense of temporary or exempt status, before being sold to high-end buyers unaware—or in some cases allegedly complicit—in the illicit arrangement.
The crackdown marks a significant step in unearthing a network that allegedly exploited diplomatic loopholes and border vulnerabilities to funnel luxury goods and contraband into the country.
