NEW DELHI – A top Indian luxury car dealer has been picked up for allegedly running a huge customs duty evasion racket, the illegal import of a minimum of 30 high-end cars, including Hummers, Porsches, and Rolls-Royces. Officials claim the scam resulted in losses totaling crores in unpaid duties.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) initiated the investigation after inconsistencies were detected in documentation for several imported cars. The investigators found that the dealer utilized spurious invoices, underdeclared values, and shell companies to bring luxury vehicles into India at a small percentage of their true value.
Some of the vehicles confiscated included models that are worth ₹2 crore to ₹8 crore, some allegedly purchased by Bollywood stars and businessmen who were in the dark about the racket. The customs officers now intend to seize all vehicles associated with the operation and open a broad crackdown on import fraud syndicates.
The arrest has created shockwaves within the luxury and auto resale markets. Experts caution that customers need to verify import documents and tax clearance prior to investing in expensive imported cars to prevent legal issues.
