Dulquer Salmaan’s luxury SUV seized by DRI, Customs in tax evasion probe

Update

TWO luxury cars owned by actor Dulquer Salmaan were among the 36 high-end vehicles seized in Kerala as part of ‘Operation Numkhor’, a major crackdown on illegally imported second-hand cars, Kerala Customs officials said on Tuesday, September 23.

Salman’s Land Rover Defender vehicle bearing a Tamil Nadu number plate was seized and brought to the office of the Customs here. The vehicle, a 2012 model, has reportedly changed hands thrice, with Salmaan currently listed as its third owner.

The seizure was part of a sweeping series of raids across Kerala, which has emerged as a key focus area in the probe. Earlier in the day, officials also spent hours at Mammootty’s former residence near Kochi, where nearly eight luxury cars were parked.

Two vehicles linked to actor Amit Chakalackal were also seized -- one registered in his name and another from a workshop believed to be owned by him, though registered to a different individual.

The high-profile inspections began Tuesday morning and are being carried out simultaneously at nearly 30 locations across Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Kottayam, Kozhikode, and Malappuram districts.

Residences of leading actors, including Prithviraj Sukumaran and Dulquer Salmaan, were among the places visited, underscoring the wide-ranging scope of the operation.

Officials revealed that the investigation had unearthed a sophisticated tax-evasion racket involving luxury cars imported through Bhutan to avoid duties. The vehicles were initially registered in Himachal Pradesh before being transported to other states, often with altered registration numbers to mask their origin. At least eight categories of high-end vehicles are suspected to have been brought into India using this route.

Customs officials, working in coordination with the Motor Vehicles Department, are also inspecting high-end car showrooms across the state. Those from whom vehicles are seized will be served notices and asked to furnish valid ownership and import documents.

Authorities stressed that while raids at celebrity homes have attracted public attention, the operation is systematic and aimed at both individuals and commercial importers. Given the high value of luxury cars, such vehicles are particularly vulnerable to tax evasion, making strict enforcement essential, they said.

The “Numkhor” operation is expected to continue in multiple phases, focusing on documentation, registration practices, and transportation networks, with officials determined to crack down on what they describe as a “sophisticated, large-scale evasion racket.”

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Earlier story

MALAYALAM actors Prithviraj Sukuraman and Dulquer Salmaan's residences were raided by the Customs Preventive wing on Tuesday, September 23, under ‘Operation Numkhor’, PTI reported, citing official sources. 

Customs conducted inspections at numerous locations in Kerala to identify people who were bringing vehicles from Bhutan into India using fake registrations to avoid paying taxes.

In the Bhutanese language, the word 'Numkhor' translates to 'vehicle'. Customs raids were conducted at multiple locations, including Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, and Malappuram.

According to Customs officials, the operations follow reports of luxury vehicles being imported from Bhutan under the guise of second-hand vehicles, bypassing tax regulations. There are approximately 15 such cases of violation, they stated.

“The Indian law prohibits the import of second-hand vehicles. We have identified illegal importing that involves 10 to 15 violations, including forgeries on the Parivahan website of the Motor Vehicles department and our website,” The Hindu quoted Customs sources as saying.

When questioned about searches at the homes of film stars, an official from the Customs Preventive Commissionerate stated that their vehicle documents were being reviewed.

Authorities stated that the 'Numkhor' operation would proceed in several phases, concentrating on documentation, registration processes, and transport routes, NDTV reported.

In coordination with the Motor Vehicles Department, Customs officials were conducting rigorous checks at leading car showrooms throughout the state, the report said.

The operation was being managed under the oversight of the Commissioner for Kerala and Lakshadweep.

In addition to the officials involved, inspections were being conducted at the residences of businessmen in Kalamassery as well as at car dealerships in Malappuram and Kozhikode, according to reports.

Customs raid in Vijaywada

Meanwhile, Customs officials in Vijayawada, together with Anti-Evasion officers from Guntur Central GST, uncovered a smuggling operation involving foreign-made cigarettes on January 20, The New Indian Express reported.

Following a tip-off, the team conducted a raid at a private property in Ramavarappadu and confiscated 17.6 lakh Paris-brand cigarette sticks worth ₹1.76 crore.

The cigarettes, hidden in 88 HDPE sacks, did not carry the mandatory health warnings as required by the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003.

Two people were arrested under the Customs Act, 1962, and were sent to 14 days of judicial custody by the Special Judge for Economic Offences in Visakhapatnam, the report said.