Date:September 25, 2025 | Location:Kochi, Kerala
In a dramatic escalation of India's luxury vehicle import crackdown, the Customs Preventive Wing has intensified Operation Numkhor—a comprehensive investigation into illegally imported vehicles from Bhutan. The probe has now expanded to involve multiple central agencies and has reached the homes of Malayalam cinema icons Dulquer Salmaanand Prithviraj Sukumaran[1][2].
🎯 What Is Operation Numkhor?
Officials are investigating a sophisticated network that allegedly smuggled over 1,000 high-end vehicles from Bhutan, including abandoned army vehicles, registered them using forged documents across multiple states, and sold them to celebrities and businessmen primarily in Kerala [3][4]. The operation, named after the Bhutanese word for "vehicle," has uncovered crimes affecting national security disguised as vehicle smuggling [3][4].
🏠 Latest Raids and Seizures
- 39 vehicles seizedas of September 25, 2025, with two additional Land Cruisers confiscated on September 24 [5][6].
- Dulquer Salmaan's residence in Panampilly Nagar, Kochi – Two vehicles seized including a Land Rover Defender and Toyota Land Cruiser [7][8].
- Prithviraj Sukumaran's homes in Thevara and Thiruvananthapuram – No vehicles seized but documents under scrutiny [9][10].
- Multiple celebrity residences across Kerala under investigation
A significant development emerged when officials discovered that Dulquer's Toyota Land Cruiser is registered in another person's name and lacks a valid fitness certificate [7][8].
🚨 Multi-Agency Investigation Expands
The investigation has attracted multiple central agencies due to the scale and security implications:
- Enforcement Directorate (ED): Investigating money laundering and black money transactions [6][3].
- National Investigation Agency (NIA): [3][4].
- Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI): Probing financial transactions [3][4].
- Central GST Department: Investigating GST evasion [6][3].
Intelligence reports suggest that gold and drugs were being transported along with these vehicles, raising both national and economic security concerns [11].
🔍 Criminal Network Exposed
The investigation has revealed a Coimbatore-based gang as the mastermind behind this operation [3][4]. The network used forged documents bearing Indian Army, Indian Embassy, and US Embassy seals with fake insignias [11]. Nearly 90% of vehicle documentation was found to be forged, with vehicles registered under false ownership or addresses [2][12].
📈 Why It Matters
This case exposes critical loopholes in Indo-Bhutan trade protocols and India's vehicle registration system. With an estimated 150–200 smuggled vehicles operating in Kerala alone, and potentially 1,000+ across India, the investigation highlights the urgent need for a centralized, tamper-proof vehicle registration database [13][3]. The involvement of celebrities has drawn national attention to the luxury car market's vulnerability to fraudulent schemes.
⚖️ Legal Proceedings
Customs officials will issue formal summons to Dulquer Salmaan and other vehicle owners to produce relevant documents and appear for interrogation [5][7]. If owners cannot provide valid documentation proving legitimate purchase, they face potential arrest and vehicle confiscation [6][11]. Both Dulquer and Prithviraj are cooperating with authorities and have not yet issued public statements regarding the investigation [9][15].