Thiruvananthapuram: In day-long searches at over 30 locations across Kerala, the Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate, Kochi Tuesday seized 36 luxury cars suspected to have been smuggled from Bhutan to India illegally. Two Toyota Land Cruiser Prados from the residence of popular Malayalam actor and producer Dulquer Salmaan, and six cars from the residence of actor Amith Chakkalakkal were seized. Searches were also conducted at the residence of actor-director Prithviraj Sukumaran, but no vehicles were seized.
Addressing mediapersons Tuesday night, T. Tiju, the Customs (Preventive) Commissioner in Kochi, said that the searches were conducted in 30-35 locations across the state under ‘Operation Numkhor (vehicle in Bhutanese)’, with 36 vehicles seized so far. He said the searches were conducted after the team identified a network based in Coimbatore, allegedly smuggling cars from Bhutan through the Indo-Bhutan border. The officials have identified 150-200 such vehicles in Kerala in the investigation over five-six months, Tiju added.
“Second-hand cars cannot be imported into India, except under Transfer of Residence rules. Even then, the owner must have used the vehicle abroad for three years, and pay around 160 percent duty,” he said, adding that the cars were allegedly either brought into India as tourists and not taken back, or broken into parts, or hidden inside containers.
The official further said vehicles, once brought in, were allegedly registered in different places using forged documents, and misusing names and seals of important institutions, such as the Indian Army, Indian embassies and the American embassy.
“Even the Parivahan website has been tampered with. For example, a vehicle manufactured in 2014 was shown on Parivahan as having been registered to its first owner in 2005,” he explained, adding that the issue assumes major significance from national and economic security viewpoint, as authorities also discovered smuggling of drugs as well as gold through the border.
He said the searches revealed the lack of money trail, records, forged ownership documents, GST evasion by dealers, and lack of fitness certificates in most vehicles.
“As per law, any vehicle that comes into Kerala from outside must be registered within one month. But what we are seeing is that even after six to eight months, these cars are still on Kerala roads, not registered in the name of anyone here, but in the names of unknown persons outside the state with no traceable address. That is itself a serious threat because if such a vehicle is ever used for some activity, it will be extremely difficult to trace the real owner,” Tiju said. The operation also revealed money laundering and illegal transactions, he added.
The vehicles will be confiscated under the Customs Act, if the documents are found to be fake. The official further said that statements of the owners will be recorded as the investigation progresses. He also said a pan-India investigation might follow as there is suspicion that the network might have delivered vehicles in other places in India.
(Edited by Mannat Chugh)
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This is why the Americans are kicking and punching us so very soundly – the thieves in the govt just want to loot citizens to finance Modi’s trips to all countries in the world.