Dulquer Salmaan and Prithviraj Sukumaran residences gets searched in customs raids over luxury car import row

In a dramatic turn of events, the residences of Malayalam cinema’s leading stars Dulquer Salmaan and Prithviraj Sukumaran in Kochi came under the scanner of the Customs Preventive wing on Tuesday.

The surprise inspections were part of a sweeping state-wide operation targeting high-net-worth individuals linked to the alleged illegal import of over a hundred premium vehicles.

The operation, codenamed Numkhor—a Bhutanese word for “vehicle”—has quickly become one of the most high-profile crackdowns in recent memory, especially with prominent actors now under scrutiny.

Officials carried out searches across multiple districts, including Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kuttippuram, and Thrissur, covering nearly 30 locations in total.

While authorities have not directly accused any of the actors of wrongdoing, the searches have placed Dulquer and Prithviraj in the spotlight, sending shockwaves across the Malayalam film industry and among fans. Both stars, who enjoy massive popularity across South India and beyond, are known for their impressive automobile collections—something that has long fascinated their followers.

According to Customs sources, investigators have been tracking a network allegedly involved in bringing in second-hand vehicles from Bhutan.

Indian law prohibits such imports, and officials believe the cars may have been passed off as used vehicles despite being brand new. The violations reportedly include forged entries on the Motor Vehicles department’s Parivahan portal as well as discrepancies on Customs systems.

Insiders from the agency revealed that the irregularities span across 10 to 15 separate categories of offences. Officials added that any vehicles found without legitimate paperwork would be seized, and owners failing to provide proof of legal purchase could face punitive measures.

The development has set social media abuzz, with fans debating whether the actors were simply caught in a wider dragnet or whether their prized collections could be implicated.

Neither Dulquer nor Prithviraj has issued a statement so far, but industry insiders suggest that clarity may emerge once the investigation progresses.

For now, Numkhor has cast an unexpected shadow on Kerala’s film fraternity, intertwining glitz with controversy. As the probe continues, the Malayalam film industry—and its audience—waits keenly to see how two of its biggest names navigate this high-stakes situation.