Since Kochi City was about to resume its normal hubb during the early hours of September 23, 2025, a man of men in formal wear excluded his vehicles outside the residence of film actor Dular Salman in Elumkulam, Kochi.
At the same time, similar visuals appeared in many places across the city in front of the homes of major film stars, high-to-qualified individuals, including industrialists, famous personalities and social media affected people, including high-pure-valued people.
The team visited the houses of Thevara and actor Amit Chakkalkal in actor Prithviraj’s homes. All three places within a five -kilometer radius became the focal point of a broad crack that were gaining rapid speed.
It was revealed that the meaning of “vehicle” in Bhutanese language was a statewide operation of “nomination”, which meant. The goal of the Crackdown, which was made by the Customs (Preventive) Commission, was a Kochi, a high-owned luxury cars that were allegedly smuggled from Bhutan to Kerala. The lending muscle for the operation was the anti -terrorism team, the motor vehicle department and the Kerala Police.
By the end of the day -to -day raid, the customs seized 37 premium vehicles. One of them was the defender who was registered in the name of Dalkar and was a land cruiser owned by Amit. Dalkar has since approached the Kerala High Court, demanding the release of his vehicle, which, according to him, was legally owned.
150 to 200 vehicles
However, these vehicles, suspected t. Tiju, Commissioner of Customs (Preventive), Kochi, Kochi, are among the 150 to 200 vehicles, which have been illegally brought from Bhutan by the Coimbatore-based group over the years. The list was compiled by customs in the last six months, which, based on the input of the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, was claimed by a media briefing.
The next day, two land cruisers were seized from a garage in Edimli in Idukki district and in Kundanur in Kochi. Soon, a Nissan patrol, which was also registered in the name of Dalkar, was seized from the apartment of a person close to him in Venla in Kochi.
Social media affected Shilpa Surendran, whose vehicle was seized from Edimali, was in a state of shock at the loss of the car, which she bought from a tariy-based man for ₹ 15 lakh. He claimed that he had spent another ₹ 5 lakh on it for its restoration. “Losing one’s life saving has been invested in a long -nurtured dream, deeply painful. How do I know it was registered in India using fake documents? It is the responsibility of the government to prevent completely fraud registration,” that is the argument of that.
Customs officers inspect luxury cars in a garage in Kochi. , Photo Credit: RK Nithin
According to him, the previous owner, who acquired the vehicle from Karnataka, registered it in Kerala after the No-Objection Certificate (NOC) issued by the Regional Transport Office.
Arunachal Pradesh Registration
The vehicle seized from Kundanur was found registered in the name of the original owner, while others were allegedly registered in the name of later owners. With the registration of Arunachal Pradesh, the Land Cruiser was registered after a resident of Muvatupuzha in Ernakulam.
Tiju says, “All these cars were likely to be smuggled in three ways-in a knock-down position, hidden within containers, or operated on the Indo-Bhutan border, which using a permit issued to tourists traveling to India,” Tiju says.
It is believed that the Wrightened Indo-Bhutan border and the low import duty governance of Bhutan are believed to have attracted smugglers to take this route, according to customs officials. They also suspect that these vehicles can be used for smuggling gold, drugs and other contradictions.
Tiju says that the central agencies, such as the Revenue Intelligence Directorate, had highlighted examples and registered matters that raise concerns about national and economic security.
“If gold and drugs can be smuggled using these vehicles, anything can be smuggled,” says Tiju, “Tiju says, while not completely rejects the possibility that moving from smuggling can be used to fund terrorism.
Fake seal, insignia
The racket behind the suspected smuggling was found as the names, seals and insignia of the Indian Army, Indian and American embassies, and the Ministry of External Affairs by the Ministry of External Affairs to register smuggled vehicles at the local level and to assure the buyers that these were the official vehicles of these agencies, according to the Customs officials.
Customs officials have found that about 90% of these vehicles were registered using fake documents, mainly in other states in regional transport offices, before being transported to Coimbatore and then sold across the country. He has not ruled out the possible collusion of MVD officers in these states. Even on the Parivahan website hosted by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, there is a suspicion of manipulating the racket to facilitate illegal activities.
For example, a vehicle manufactured in 2014 was registered in early 2005 under the name of its first user. The verification of the vehicle identification number (chassis number) by the original registration authority could immediately expose the racket, with a senior MVD officer.
“When the original registration authority in India verified the chassis number of vehicles, it would be immediately revealed that the vehicle was born in Bhutan and was illegally imported or smuggled. Failure to do so suggests either negligence or collusion,”
Customs have warned that many smuggled vehicles, which are registered through fraud in other parts of the country and are not yet registered in Kerala, can work on the roads here without legitimate fitness certificate or insurance. If these vehicles are involved in criminal activities or accidents, tracing the real owner can prove to be a difficult task, they are afraid.
Importing pre-owned cars, in addition to the provisions of transfer (TR) of residence, is not allowed. In such cases, a vehicle that has not been used for less than three years in the original country can be brought to India and after paying 160% import duty, it has been registered here for the condition that it will not be sold for five years since registration in India, the customs officials said.
“Vehicles doubting to smuggle in Bhutan are mostly a classic models manufactured between 1970 and 1990. By the second half of 2000, when foreign vehicles can be purchased directly from the showroom here, foreign vehicles can be purchased to buy only through TR or to buy them in India. State Road Safety Authority Safety Authority called Upendra Narayananan, the proof of passport, customs, customs, customs evacuation permits. On documentation support in letters, etc.
He called upon the department of motor vehicles to modernize and accept it with the most modern equipment for better enforcement. As it is, the department and its methods are at least half a century behind the enforcement methods of advanced countries, says Narayanan.
‘Possibility of rapping’
A lawyer M. Jaithesh Menon noted that these vehicles, which were reportedly originated outside India, could not be run on Indian roads, as they were registered using fake documents. Since registration of these vehicles is illegal, any latter sales will be considered zero, and vehicles can eventually be scraped, they feel.
Customs have asked all the owners of seized vehicles to produce documents related to them. Failure to compliance with instructions can lead to legal action, including possible arrests under the Customs Act, they warns.
It is suspected that many individuals who buy these vehicles lack both a verified money trail and auxiliary documents, say Tiju.
Amit explains that when vehicles change ownership, later buyers cannot always maintain all records that the original owner had. Even the officials of the Motor Vehicles Department are uncertain about the database before the launch of the Parivahan portal. The actor suggests that it would be beneficial if the government prioritize access to such documents in an emergency.
In addition to asking for documents of his owned vehicles, customs have asked Amit to provide records for six other vehicles seized from a garage in his neighborhood. By his own entry, those vehicles were brought into the garage for restoration on their recommendation.
A police officer says that it may prove to be challenging to track the remaining vehicles brought to Kerala, with the “Operation Numbers”, as it is likely that their current owners are either hiding or settling them, saying a police officer.
Meet with a difference, press
The Customs Commissioner’s media briefing also had part of twist and turn on Crackdown, which also surprised customs authorities.
The Customs Commissioner suddenly abolished the press conference after replying to a phone call, which he obtained the middle through media briefing. A blindly unstable commissioner, responding in monosyllabs – mostly “sir” – reduces the press conference in a huff, which gives place to doubt about the fate of the drive they led by them.
The morning rift and subsequent developments, including cancellation of the hasty of media briefing before the entire dazzle of TV channels, have given up more questions. Is it more than the eye meeting?
