Customs raids Dulquer Salmaan, Prithviraj Sukumarans residences over illegally imported premium autos in Kerala

The Customs Preventive wing was on Tuesday (September 23, 2025) conducting state-wide raids on the residences and premises of high-net-worth people in Kerala, together with outstanding actors and industrialists, as a part of a crackdown on alleged unlawful import of premium autos numbering over 100 from Bhutan.

The operation is called Numkhor, which in Bhutanese means ‘automobile.’

Also learn | Operation Numkhor: Smuggling of luxurious vehicles from Bhutan into Kerala to face wider probe by central businesses

Customs has been monitoring the alleged unlawful import of second-hand autos from Bhutan. Following this, the company launched into a Statewide raid, which is below means at 30 places, together with Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kuttippuram, and Thrissur.

Customs officers have examined the homes of actors Dulquer Salmaan and Prithviraj Sukumaran in Kochi.

“The Indian legislation prohibits the import of second-hand autos. We have recognized unlawful importing includes 10 to fifteen violations, together with forgeries on the Parivahan web site of the Motor Vehicles division and our web site,” mentioned Customs sources.

None of the autos concerned is manufactured in India. It is suspected that the brand new autos have been illegally imported as used autos by Bhutan. Vehicles discovered to have been illegally imported could be seized. Owners unable to provide related paperwork will face punitive measures, they mentioned.