Sleuths from the Customs Preventive wing are conducting raids at multiple locations across Kerala aimed at tracking down those bringing vehicles from Bhutan to India through fake registrations to evade tax, official sources said on Tuesday. 

Among the locations targeted in “Operation Numkhor” are the residences of Malayalam actors Prithviraj and Dulquer Salmaan, they added. In the Bhutanese language, 'Numkhor' means 'vehicle'.

The raids are progressing simultaneously in Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode and Malappuram. Customs officials said the operation follows instances of high-end vehicles being brought from Bhutan as second-hand ones without paying tax. There are around 15 such violations, they noted.

Asked about the raids at the actors’ residences, an official at the Customs Preventive Commissionerate said the documents of their vehicles are being examined.

Origins of the racket and earlier media reports

Earlier media reports indicated that around 150 vehicles abandoned by the Bhutan army had been illegally brought into India and registered in Himachal Pradesh, only to be sold at four times their original value. Some reports also suggested that 20 of these SUVs have already been sold in Kerala.

While the official version focuses on the ongoing examination of documents and specific violations (around 15 cases), media reports imply a broader racket, including large-scale smuggling, resale at inflated prices, and potential alteration of vehicle numbers.

Based on a secret intelligence report, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and Customs initiated investigations. The state Motor Vehicles Department has also launched an inquiry.

Reports said that the investigation team traced a person in Kerala who purchased a vehicle for Rs 25 lakh, reportedly unaware it was abandoned by the Bhutan army.

Vehicles imported without paying customs duty and carrying Bhutan registration numbers are prohibited from operating in India.

To present these vehicles as Indian-made, they are being registered in Himachal Pradesh, mostly in Shimla Rural (HP-52). A vehicle bought for Rs 1 lakh has been sold for Rs 10 lakh, while an SUV purchased for Rs 3 lakh was sold for Rs 30 lakh. Reports say a racket involving agents and officials facilitates both smuggling from Bhutan and re-registration in Himachal.