The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its investigation into a luxury vehicle smuggling racket allegedly involving cars imported illegally from Bhutan, issuing notices to several vehicle owners — including Malayalam actor Amith Chakkalakkal — to furnish detailed financial records.
The notices require car owners to submit bank statements and income tax returns for the past five years as part of the central agency’s ongoing probe. Chakkalakkal, whose residence was previously searched by the ED, confirmed that officials have set specific dates for the owners to present the requested documents. He stated that he plans to submit his paperwork in the coming days.
Operation Numkhor and Case Background
The case stems from an investigation into the illegal import and sale of high-end vehicles that were allegedly brought from Bhutan into India using forged documents and fraudulent registrations. The Customs Preventive wing initially uncovered the racket under an operation code-named “Operation Numkhor” — with “Numkhor” meaning “vehicle” in the Bhutanese language.
Authorities allege that luxury cars such as Toyota Land Cruisers, Land Rover Defenders, and other expensive models were brought into India through Bhutan and then registered domestically using false credentials to evade customs duties and taxes. Vehicles were reportedly sold to buyers after being registered under fake paperwork.
Searches and High-Profile Connections
Earlier in the investigation, the ED conducted searches at multiple locations across Kerala and Tamil Nadu, including the homes and business premises of several well-known Malayalam film personalities. Officials covered properties in Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kottayam and Coimbatore during those actions.
In some instances, prominent actors like Dulquer Salmaan and Prithviraj Sukumaran were also linked to the case, with Customs authorities seizing certain vehicles pending further investigation. Legal challenges have been sought in some instances to contest seizures and seek release of vehicles.
ED’s Focus on Financial Trail
The ED’s current focus is to determine whether money laundering or violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) occurred in connection with these vehicle imports and subsequent sales. By collecting owners’ financial records, the agency aims to trace the flow of funds and establish whether proceeds of crime were laundered through the purchase, import, or sale of the smuggled cars.
Investigators are analyzing the chain of financial transactions, from middlemen and sellers to the end buyers, in order to ascertain the full extent of any alleged financial irregularities. This step underscores the widening scope of the probe, which has now moved beyond customs violations into broader financial and regulatory territory.