ED Raids Properties Linked to Dulquer Salmaan, Prithviraj Sukumaran in Multi-State Probe into Smuggled Luxury Cars and Illegal Forex Deals

ED Expands Crackdown on Cross-Border Luxury Car Smuggling Network

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday intensified its investigation into the alleged smuggling of high-end pre-owned luxury vehicles and related unauthorised foreign exchange transactions, conducting coordinated raids across Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Officials confirmed that 17 premises were searched under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), including the homes and offices of film stars Dulquer Salmaan, Prithviraj Sukumaran, and Amit Chakkalakkal, along with automobile traders and workshops across Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kottayam, and Coimbatore.

The Kochi Zonal Office of the ED is leading the operation, which builds on an earlier Customs investigation that uncovered a complex racket smuggling luxury cars into India through the Indo-Bhutan and Indo-Nepal borders.

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Illegal Imports Using Forged Documents

According to an ED release, the probe has unearthed a Coimbatore-based network suspected of importing vehicles such as Toyota Land Cruisers, Land Rover Defenders, and Maseratis using forged documents, including fake credentials from the Indian Army, US Embassy, and Ministry of External Affairs.

The vehicles were allegedly registered in remote states like Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh using fraudulent RTO documents, before being sold to wealthy buyers, including film personalities, at prices far below market value.

“Preliminary findings indicate the use of hawala channels for payments and cross-border transactions in violation of Sections 3, 4, and 8 of FEMA,” the agency said. Investigators are now tracing the money trail and beneficiary network tied to the illicit trade.

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Luxury Car Crackdown: Operation ‘Numkhor’

The current round of ED raids follows a sweeping Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate operation on September 23, codenamed “Numkhor”—the Bhutanese word for “vehicle.”

During that phase, Customs seized 37 high-value luxury cars, including vehicles registered under suspicious credentials. Three additional vehicles were confiscated later. Officials said the smuggling racket exploited loopholes in the import and registration process, allowing second-hand foreign vehicles to enter India without proper duties or documentation.

Over 150–200 vehicles have been flagged for irregularities in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways database.

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Film Industry Connections and Legal Action

Several of the seized vehicles reportedly belong to Malayalam actors Dulquer Salmaan and Amit Chakkalakkal, while ED officials also visited the residence of Prithviraj Sukumaran in Kochi. However, no vehicle was confiscated from his premises.

Dulquer Salmaan, who has maintained that he purchased his vehicles through legitimate channels, has since approached the Kerala High Court seeking the release of his impounded cars. On Tuesday, the court directed him to approach the Customs adjudicating authority under the Customs Act for further relief.

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Wider Implications for the Auto and Entertainment Sectors

Experts say the ED’s operation signals a tightening of financial scrutiny over luxury imports and high-value cross-border transactions linked to entertainment industry figures. “This investigation could redefine compliance norms for foreign vehicle ownership in India, especially for celebrities and high-net-worth individuals,” said a senior enforcement official familiar with the case.

The ED has not yet issued formal summons to any of the actors but indicated that further questioning and financial audits may follow once the document verification process concludes.

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What’s Next

Authorities are expected to release a detailed status report in the coming weeks, outlining the scale of the suspected forex violations and the estimated value of the cars smuggled through Bhutan and Nepal.

The ongoing probe—described by enforcement officials as one of the largest joint Customs-ED operations in South India—marks an aggressive stance by federal agencies to curb cross-border financial irregularities and smuggling under the guise of vehicle trade.