A 22-year-old man from Kochi has filed a cheating complaint against a Delhi-based used car dealer after discovering that the Toyota Land Cruiser he purchased was smuggled from Bhutan and illegally re-registered in Himachal Pradesh. The Ernakulam Central Police registered the case on Sunday against Rohit Bedi, a resident of Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi, following the complainant’s revelation during the Customs department’s ‘Operation Numkhor’ last year, which exposed large-scale smuggling of luxury vehicles from Bhutan.

According to the First Information Report, the dealer allegedly misled the buyer by claiming the SUV was previously used by the Indian Embassy in Bhutan and was being sold for Rs 14 lakh. The complainant paid Rs 50,000 in cash on June 29, 2024, followed by a bank transfer of Rs 4.5 lakh on July 1. Subsequently, a friend delivered Rs 5 lakh in cash in New Delhi, while an additional Rs 4 lakh was transferred through banking channels, completing the transaction.

The fraud came to light when the vehicle was identified during ‘Operation Numkhor’, a major Customs crackdown that led to the seizure of several smuggled luxury SUVs, including those owned by prominent individuals such as film actors. The Toyota Land Cruiser in question was among the vehicles confiscated after its illegal import was detected, highlighting the sophisticated methods used to smuggle high-end cars across the border.

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Following the seizure, the vehicle was eventually returned to the complainant, prompting him to pursue legal action against the dealer for misrepresentation and cheating. Police officials at Ernakulam Central Police Station confirmed that this marks the first police case in Kerala directly linked to the Bhutan smuggling racket uncovered by the Customs operation.

Investigators have stated that they will coordinate with the Customs department to obtain detailed information on the smuggling modus operandi and identify any other individuals involved in the illegal import and sale network. The case underscores the broader implications of cross-border vehicle smuggling and the challenges in regulating the secondary market for luxury automobiles in India.

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