Kochi Customs Busts Major Bhutan Car Smuggling Racket
Kerala Customs uncovers illegal import of 1992 Toyota Land Cruiser.
The Customs Preventive unit in Kochi has intensified its probe into a suspected car smuggling racket involving used vehicles from Bhutan, with a 1992-model Toyota Land Cruiser SUV at the center of the investigation. Registered in Arunachal Pradesh in 2012, the vehicle is listed under the name of Mahin, who provided an address in Assam. However, Customs officials have uncovered discrepancies, revealing that the SUV actually belongs to Mahin Ansari, a resident of Muvattupuzha, Kerala.
Unlike other seized vehicles in the ongoing investigation, this white Toyota Land Cruiser, currently being repainted black at a workshop in Kundannoor, Kochi, was registered directly in Mahin’s name with no prior owners. “This is a unique case. The 1992-model SUV was imported and registered in 2012, suggesting it was brought from abroad, likely Bhutan,” a Customs official stated. “We are investigating whether the necessary duties and taxes were paid during its importation.”
The vehicle, seized two weeks ago from the Kundannoor workshop, has raised red flags due to irregularities in its registration. Preliminary inquiries revealed that the Assam address provided by Mahin is fraudulent, prompting Customs to summon him for questioning. Authorities have demanded all import-related documents, including proof of duty payment, to verify the vehicle’s legal status.
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The investigation is part of Operation Numkhor, a large-scale crackdown on smuggled vehicles in Kerala. To date, Customs has seized 38 vehicles, primarily SUVs, suspected of being illegally imported from Bhutan. The probe has also drawn attention to high-profile figures, with vehicles owned by Malayalam film stars Dulquer Salmaan, Prithviraj Sukumaran, and Amith Chakalakkal under scrutiny.
Customs Preventive Commissioner T Tiju revealed that over 200 Bhutan-registered vehicles are believed to be operating illegally in Kerala. “We are committed to dismantling this smuggling network,” Tiju said, emphasizing the scale of the operation. The investigation will now focus on tracing the origins of these vehicles, verifying their import documents, and identifying other individuals involved in the racket.
As the probe deepens, Customs officials are exploring whether similar fraudulent registrations have been used to smuggle additional vehicles into India. The seizure of the 1992 Land Cruiser marks a significant breakthrough in uncovering the extent of this cross-border smuggling operation, with authorities vowing to pursue all leads to bring those responsible to justice.
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