Kochi | The customs department has questioned prominent Malayalam actor Dulquer Salmaan as part of an investigation into the alleged smuggling of luxury vehicles from Bhutan into India, sources said on Wednesday.

The Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate, which is probing the case, summoned Salmaan, son of megastar Mammootty, to its office in Kochi on Tuesday and recorded his statement as part of the preliminary inquiry, they said.

Sources said four vehicles were seized from Salmaan during searches conducted in September last year, and he has been directed to produce documents related to the vehicles.

The agency is investigating whether he owns any other such vehicles, they added.

Officers of the Customs (Preventive) Commissionerate carried out searches at multiple locations across Kerala in September last year to trace those allegedly bringing vehicles from Bhutan into India using fake registrations to evade taxes.

Several vehicles were seized during the operation.

Salmaan's residence was among the premises searched during the raids, codenamed 'Operation Numkhor'.

In Bhutanese, "Numkhor" means "vehicle".