One individual arrested as Customs broadens its nationwide crackdown on a cross-border vehicle smuggling syndicate operating via Bhutan and Nepal.
KOCHI — In a major breakthrough under the ongoing ‘Operation Numkhor’, the office of the Commissioner of Customs (Preventive), Cochin, has intensified its nationwide crackdown on a cross-border luxury vehicle smuggling racket. Executing a series of coordinated, multi-city raids across Kerala on Thursday, the agency seized eight premium Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and arrested a prominent partner of a luxury used-car showroom.
Among the high-profile vehicles confiscated is a vintage Nissan Patrol SUV associated with popular Malayalam actor Dulquer Salmaan. The latest string of seizures follows precise intelligence tracking a transnational syndicate that reportedly sneaks high-end vehicles into India to evade steep domestic import taxes and customs duties.
Coordinated Raids and Key Arrests
Customs officials executed simultaneous raids across various locations in Kerala, initially resulting in the confiscation of seven luxury SUVs valued at over ₹1.5 crore. Investigators revealed that these vehicles had been illegally sourced from Bhutan and routed into Kerala through a Delhi-based intermediary. The primary recipient of the fleet in the state was identified as M/s Roadway Cars, a luxury automobile firm based in Kozhikode.
Following the raids, Customs authorities arrested Zain Marva, a partner of M/s Roadway Cars, under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962. According to agency sources, investigators established that Marva was directly linked to the core smuggling syndicates and actively masterminded the distribution of these illicitly imported, high-end SUVs throughout Kerala.
In a parallel development, an eighth vehicle—a vintage Nissan Patrol SUV—was seized from the custody of Eldo Paul, owner of Signature Cars, a luxury used-car and vehicle modification showroom located in Kalamassery, Kochi.
The Dulquer Salmaan Connection Under Scrutiny
The vintage Nissan Patrol has drawn significant public attention due to its high-profile promotional history.
“The vehicle had recently gained attention after being featured in the Dulquer Salmaan-starrer movie Lucky Baskhar. During promotional interviews for the film, Salmaan often claimed the Nissan Patrol featured was his own,” a Customs source stated.
Officials seized the SUV on the “reasonable belief” that it was driven into India through porous land borders along Bhutan or Nepal, bypassing official customs channels. The agency clarified that it is currently verifying whether the vehicle has any permanent, legal ownership link to the actor himself.
Background: Inside the Multi-State ‘Operation Numkhor’ Scam
Named after the Dzongkha (Bhutanese language) word for vehicle, ‘Operation Numkhor’ was launched in September 2025. The investigation has since exposed a massive bureaucratic corruption scandal spanning multiple Indian states. Smuggled vehicles from Bhutan are systematically re-registered across India using forged and falsified documentation, with a significant portion allegedly sold to high-profile auto-enthusiasts and celebrities in Kerala.
Prior to this operation, Customs had already seized over 45 vehicles from the state, placing several prominent personalities, including actors Dulquer Salmaan and Amith Chackalakkal, under the investigative scanner.
The scale of the institutional forgery is unprecedented:
- Assam Nexus: The Bongaigaon Police in Assam registered a criminal case against transport authorities after discovering that 464 smuggled vehicles were illegally registered at the Bongaigaon Regional Transport Office (RTO) using forged papers.
- CAG Findings: A Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report highlighted over 15,000 duplicate registrations across the Northeast region.
- Bilateral Gravity: The geopolitical impact of the scam was significant enough to be raised during Home Secretary-level bilateral talks between India and Bhutan, and it served as a primary agenda item during the Indo-Bhutan Joint Customs Group meeting held in Munnar.
With the Cochin Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate currently tracking a provisional watchlist of over 200 suspect luxury vehicles operating within Kerala alone, authorities indicate that more high-profile seizures and arrests are imminent.
