Kerala Police Seizes Rs 1.44 Crore Hidden in Secret Car Cabin at Kerala-Karnataka Border, Three Arrested

In a major intercept operation along the inter-state border, law enforcement authorities in Kerala seized a staggering ₹1.44 crore in unaccounted cash hidden inside a specially engineered secret compartment of a vehicle. The high-value seizure highlights ongoing inter-state surveillance efforts to crack down on illegal cash flows and clandestine transportation networks operating across regional borders.

Joint Operation at Tholpetty Intercepts Vehicle

The operation was executed by a joint team comprising the Thirunelli police and the District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (DANSAF). During routine vehicle checking and surveillance operations at the Tholpetty border checkpoint on the Kerala-Karnataka frontier, officers intercepted an incoming vehicle traveling from neighboring Karnataka.

Upon conducting a rigorous physical inspection of the automobile, authorities uncovered a cunningly designed secret cabin hidden directly underneath the driver's seat. Inside this concealed compartment, police discovered dense bundles of currency totaling ₹1,44,50,000.

Three Arrested as Inter-State Investigation Deepens

Following the recovery of the massive cash haul, police arrested the three occupants traveling inside the vehicle. The suspects have been identified as:

• Prabhu Raj (20), a resident of Nadakkavu Street, Vadakara, Kozhikode.

• Swapnil (23), a resident of Panur, Kannur.

• Rahul (26), a resident of Maharashtra.

Local authorities have launched an intensive investigation to trace the origins and ultimate destination of the funds. Investigators are probing who the cash belonged to, where it was being transported, and whether it is linked to hawala networks, electoral malpractices, or other illegal trade syndicates. Following this major interception, police have ordered heightened vehicle checks and intensified screening protocols across all major road crossings along the Kerala-Karnataka border.