Customs officials raid homes of actors Dulquer Salmaan, Prithviraj Sukumaran over luxury car tax evasion

Customs officials conducted checks at multiple locations across Kerala, including the residences of actors Dulquer Salmaan and Prithviraj Sukumaran in Kochi. The operation, named "Operation Numkhor", targets vehicles brought through middlemen from Bhutan and sold locally.

The raids were conducted simultaneously in Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode and Malappuram. Customs officials said the action follows reports of high-end vehicles being imported from Bhutan as second-hand without paying the required tax.

Officials stated there are around 15 such violations under investigation. Regarding the raids at the film stars' residences, a Customs Preventive Commissionerate official said the documents of their vehicles are being examined.

Customs teams, in collaboration with the Motor Vehicles Department, also conducted checks at major car showrooms throughout Kerala. Enforcement agencies are focusing on the seizure of vehicles lacking proper documentation, with plans to issue formal notices to individuals from whom vehicles are confiscated.

Investigations have revealed that eight types of high-end vehicles were brought into India via Bhutan, evading required taxes. These vehicles were initially registered in Himachal Pradesh and then re-registered in other states, with registration numbers often altered to obscure their origins. This highlights the sophisticated methods used to bypass tax regulations and the need for vigilant enforcement in the luxury car market.