ED Raids Schemes of Luxury Vehicle Smuggling in Kerala

Kochi, Oct 8 (PTI) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids on Wednesday at locations linked to prominent actors Prithviraj, Dulquer Salman, and Amit Chakkalackal, among others, as part of an investigation into a Customs case involving the alleged smuggling of luxury vehicles from Bhutan into India. Official sources reported that the searches encompassed multiple vehicle owners, auto workshops, and traders across Kerala, specifically in Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kottayam, and Coimbatore. A total of 17 locations are being searched, the sources confirmed. The ED's actions are being carried out under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) concerning a recent Customs case addressing the alleged smuggling of high-end luxury vehicles and unauthorized foreign exchange transactions. The operation is based on information revealing a syndicate involved in the illegal import and registration of luxury cars like Land Cruiser, Defender, and Maserati through the India-Bhutan/Nepal corridors. Preliminary findings suggest a Coimbatore-based network utilizing counterfeit documents (allegedly from the Indian Army, US Embassy, and Ministry of External Affairs) and fraudulent Regional Transport Office (RTO) registrations in Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and other states. These vehicles were then sold to high-net-worth individuals, including film personalities, at significantly reduced prices, officials stated.