Key Points

Salman’s Land Rover Defender vehicle bearing a Tamil Nadu number plate was seized and brought to the office of the Customs here. The vehicle, a 2012 model, has reportedly changed hands thrice, with Salmaan currently listed as its third owner.

The seizure was part of a sweeping series of raids across Kerala, which has emerged as a key focus area in the probe. Earlier in the day, officials also spent hours at Mammootty’s former residence near Kochi, where nearly eight luxury cars were parked.

Two vehicles linked to actor Amit Chakalackal were also seized -- one registered in his name and another from a workshop believed to be owned by him, though registered to a different individual.

The high-profile inspections began Tuesday morning and are being carried out simultaneously at nearly 30 locations across Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, Kottayam, Kozhikode, and Malappuram districts.

Residences of leading actors, including Prithviraj Sukumaran and Dulquer Salmaan, were among the places visited, underscoring the wide-ranging scope of the operation.

Officials revealed that the investigation had unearthed a sophisticated tax-evasion racket involving luxury cars imported through Bhutan to avoid duties. The vehicles were initially registered in Himachal Pradesh before being transported to other states, often with altered registration numbers to mask their origin. At least eight categories of high-end vehicles are suspected to have been brought into India using this route.

Customs officials, working in coordination with the Motor Vehicles Department, are also inspecting high-end car showrooms across the state. Those from whom vehicles are seized will be served notices and asked to furnish valid ownership and import documents.

Authorities stressed that while raids at celebrity homes have attracted public attention, the operation is systematic and aimed at both individuals and commercial importers. Given the high value of luxury cars, such vehicles are particularly vulnerable to tax evasion, making strict enforcement essential, they said.

The “Numkhor” operation is expected to continue in multiple phases, focusing on documentation, registration practices, and transportation networks, with officials determined to crack down on what they describe as a “sophisticated, large-scale evasion racket.”

- IANS