A routine vehicle check near the Kerala-Karnataka border has led to a major cash seizure in Wayanad, with police recovering Rs 1.44 crore hidden inside a secret compartment under the driver's seat, officials said.
The seizure was made at Tholpetty when a team from Thirunelli Police and District Anti-Narcotics Special Action Force (DANSAF) intercepted a vehicle coming from the Karnataka side.
During a detailed search of the vehicle, police found bundles of cash concealed in a specially made compartment under the driver's seat. The total amount recovered was Rs 1,44,50,000, they said.
Three people travelling in the vehicle were taken into custody.
Police identified them as Prabhu Raj, 20, from Nadakkavu Street in Vadakara, Kozhikode; Swapnil, 23, from Panoor in Kannur; and Rahul, 26, a native of Maharashtra.
Police are now probing the source of the huge amount, where it was being taken and who was supposed to receive it.
The operation was carried out jointly by police and the DANSAF team.
The seizure once again puts the spotlight on Tholpetty, a key road entry point into Kerala from Karnataka, and the use of specially modified vehicles to secretly transport large quantities of unaccounted cash.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
