Officials from the Customs Preventive unit in Kerala have intensified their investigation into the suspected smuggling of second-hand SUVs from Bhutan. Prominent among these is a 1992-model Toyota Land Cruiser first owned by Mahin Ansari, which was registered in Arunachal Pradesh.

This vehicle, believed to have been imported into India in 2012, has raised additional eyebrows as it is undergoing a suspicious color change at a workshop in Kochi. Customs officials are now seeking answers from Mahin regarding the authenticity of the vehicle's importation and its Assam registration address found to be forged.

Dubbed Operation Numkhor, this broader Customs investigation has seized 38 vehicles to date. The operation has also implicated cars owned by celebrities such as Dulquer Salmaan and Prith

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