Kerala raids on luxury cars probe link Dulquer Salmaan Prithviraj

Customs officials carried out coordinated raids across Kerala this week, searching the homes of prominent Malayalam actors including Dulquer Salmaan and Prithviraj Sukumaran as part of Operation Numkhor, a probe into an alleged racket that smuggled highend vehicles from Bhutan into India. The searches, which began on September 23, targeted residences, car showrooms and storage sites in Kochi, Kozhikode, Malappuram and other districts as officials sought to verify ownership and documentation of luxury SUVs and other premium cars.

Customs officials say officers inspected roughly 35 locations and seized dozens of vehicles during the operation. Customs Preventive Commissioner T Tiju said investigators have identified as many as 150 to 200 vehicles that may have reached Kerala through the network and described the probe as targeting an organised gang. Other local reports put the number of vehicles seized so far at figures ranging from 11 to 38, and authorities acknowledged the counts are still being reconciled as paperwork and forensic examinations proceed.

Investigators allege the scheme involved buying decommissioned Bhutanese army vehicles, often auctioned at low prices, moving...