Kochi: Customs officials are conducting raids at the Kochi residences of leading Mollywood actors Prithviraj Sukumaran and Dulquer Salmaan as part of a nationwide crackdown on luxury vehicle smuggling via Bhutan. The operation, codenamed "Numkhor" (which means “vehicle” in the Bhutanese language), targets a racket allegedly involving tax evasion and illegal vehicle imports.

Raids are currently underway at Prithviraj’s house in Thevara and Dulquer’s residence in Panampilly Nagar. Officials also visited Prithviraj’s Thiruvananthapuram home, but no suspicious vehicles were found there. In total, around 30 locations across Kochi, Kozhikode, and Malappuram are being searched in connection with the case.

According to reports, around 11 vehicles have been seized so far.

What is Operation Numkhor?

The operation follows intelligence that decommissioned Bhutan Army vehicles, auctioned at low prices, were smuggled into India without paying customs duties. These high-quality vehicles were allegedly transported to Himachal Pradesh, registered using temporary addresses, and later sold at inflated prices to high-profile people, including film stars and businessmen.

Sources say a well-organised network of agents has been facilitating these transactions, exploiting legal loopholes in Indo-Bhutan trade agreements. While the vehicles are legally auctioned in Bhutan, their import and resale without proper taxation constitute a violation of Indian customs laws.

Actor link under scrutiny

Customs authorities have compiled a list of recipients of these vehicles, which reportedly includes celebrities. The raids at the actors’ homes are based on suspicions that such illegally imported vehicles may have been purchased.

Further details are awaited as the raids continue.