Kochi: The Customs Commissionerate (Preventive), Kochi, has seized multiple SUVs, including one featured in a Malayalam film starring Dulquer Salmaan, and arrested a used luxury car showroom owner in connection with a smuggling investigation, officials said on Friday.
The action forms part of 'Operation Numkhor', an ongoing probe into the alleged smuggling of luxury vehicles from Nepal and Bhutan into India.
Operation Numkhor and cross-border vehicle smuggling probe
Officials said the operation was launched last year following information that a large number of vehicles from Bhutan and Nepal were being brought into different parts of India in violation of regulations. The imports were allegedly carried out in connivance with officials in transport departments across multiple states.
During the investigation, Customs arrested Deepak Potawary, District Transport Officer of Bongaigaon in Assam. Authorities said 464 vehicles from Bhutan were registered using fake or forged documents at the Bongaigaon Regional Transport Office. Many of these vehicles were shown as having their first registration in Lakshadweep.
Alleged network involving kingpin and Kerala distribution channel
Officials said the probe identified Biswajit Das as the alleged kingpin of the racket. He is accused of sourcing multiple smuggled SUVs from Bhutan and routing them to Kerala through a Delhi-based intermediary.
The vehicles were reportedly sold to Roadway Cars in Kozhikode. Investigators said its partner, Zain Marva, was directly linked to the smuggling network and involved in distributing the vehicles within Kerala.
Seizures in Kerala, arrest, and film-featured SUV
Customs on Friday seized seven SUVs from various parts of Kerala and arrested Zain Marva for his alleged role in smuggling vehicles from Bhutan to the state. The seized vehicles are valued at over Rs 1.5 crore.
Among the seized vehicles was a Nissan Patrol SUV featured in the Malayalam film 'Lucky Baskhar', starring Dulquer Salmaan. It was seized from Eldho Paul, who runs the used car showroom Signature Cars in Kalamassery, near Kochi.
Officials said they are examining whether the vehicle had any ownership link to the actor. They also stated that evidence indicates the SUV was illegally imported into India through the Bhutan-Nepal route.
Earlier, as part of Operation Numkhor, Customs had seized several SUVs, including vehicles allegedly linked to actors Dulquer Salmaan and Amit Chakkalakkal.