Top Malayalam film stars Dulquer Salmaan and Prithviraj Sukumaran were among several high-profile individuals whose homes were searched Wednesday in connection with a luxury car smuggling racket operating via Bhutan.

Code-named Operation Numkhor, the sweeping crackdown spanned 17 to 19 locations across Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Central and state agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Customs, are investigating a syndicate accused of illegally importing high-end vehicles—such as Land Cruisers, Defenders, and Maseratis—into India using forged documents. Advertisement

The racket allegedly exploited fraudulent registrations, falsely claiming affiliation with entities like the Indian Army or US Embassy to evade steep import duties that can exceed 160%.

The illegally imported

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