Dulquer Salmaan questioned for seven hours, claims no knowledge of Bhutan vehicle smuggling link

KOCHI: The Customs department has questioned prominent actor Dulquer Salmaan for nearly seven hours at its office here in connection with the high-profile Bhutan car smuggling case. During the interrogation, Dulquer reportedly maintained that he was entirely unaware that the vehicles had been illegally brought into the country.

The interrogation follows the seizure of four luxury cars belonging to the actor by the Customs department. Investigators stated that the enforcement action was taken after it was discovered that the vehicles, which had been smuggled across the Bhutan border, were eventually sold to the actor.

The major vehicle smuggling racket, considered one of the largest in recent times involving Bhutan, came to light during a specialised Customs operation named 'Operation Numkhor'. The crackdown was initiated following intelligence reports that vehicles, including those abandoned or decommissioned by the Bhutanese military, were being brought into India and sold at exorbitant prices. The probe revealed that these smuggled vehicles changed multiple hands before reaching Kerala, where they were used by various individuals, including prominent film celebrities.

Customs officials have so far seized around 40 vehicles from different parts of the state. However, the agency estimates that nearly 200 such vehicles may have been brought into Kerala through similar illegal channels. The Customs department has sought the assistance of the state Motor Vehicles Department to trace the remaining vehicles as the investigation progresses.