CHENNAI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday conducted searches at 17 locations across Kerala and Tamil Nadu, targeting individuals and businesses linked to an alleged syndicate involved in the smuggling of luxury vehicles from Bhutan, official sources said.
Raid were conducted at locations linked to prominent Malayalam actors Prithviraj Sukumaran, Dulquer Salmaan, and Amit Chakkalackal.
The searches, which also covered vehicle owners, automobile workshops, and traders in Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kottayam, and Coimbatore, were carried out under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) in connection with a Customs investigation.
Preliminary findings suggest that a Coimbatore-based network used forged documents purporting to be from the Indian Army, the US Embassy, and the Ministry of External Affairs, alongside fraudulent RTO registrations in Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and other states. The vehicles were reportedly sold to high-net-worth individuals, including film personalities, at undervalued prices.
