Kochi (Kerala) [India], October 8 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has launched a massive crackdown on luxury car smuggling in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, conducting raids at 17 locations, including the homes of prominent Malayalam actors Mammootty, Dulquer Salmaan, and Prithviraj Sukumaran.
The raids were conducted under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), dubbed "Operation Numkhor," which aims to curb the smuggling of high-end vehicles from Bhutan and Nepal into India, with forged documents and fraudulent registrations.
The action follows an earlier enquiry by Customs involving actor Mammootty's son, Dulquer Salmaan, in the same operation.
The operations are part of a broader investigation by Customs and the ED into alleged violations of foreign exchange and customs laws in the smuggling of high-end luxury vehicles and unauthorised foreign exchange dealings.
The ED has uncovered a Coimbatore-based network involved in smuggling luxury cars, including Land Cruisers, Defenders, and Maseratis, using forged documents purportedly from the Indian Army, US Embassy, and Ministry of External Affairs.
Vehicles were registered in states like Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh using fake documents, before being sold to high-net-worth individuals, including film personalities, at undervalued prices.
The high-end luxury vehicles were illegally imported through the India-Bhutan and India-Nepal routes.
Customs officials seized Dulquer's Land Rover Defender as part of Operation Numkhor, alleging that it had fake registration and was involved in tax evasion.
The investigation involved analysing digital evidence and payment records to uncover the financial trail and identify key players in the smuggling network.
Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court on Tuesday allowed Dulquer to approach the customs authority for provisional release of the vehicle, directing the authority to decide on the plea within a week.
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