The Commissionerate of Customs (Preventive) has launched a probe into a suspected liquor duty evasion racket at a duty-free shop in Kerala, where liquor was allegedly sold by misusing passenger details without their consent.

According to officials, an Occurrence Report (OR) has been filed and statements from nearly two dozen travelers have been recorded. The passengers claimed they had no knowledge of liquor being billed against their passports.

Preliminary findings suggest that the outlet allegedly lured arriving passengers with refreshments and discreetly scanned their passport details. Using this data, liquor beyond the permissible two-litre limit was sold to other buyers, with the extra quantity shown as purchases under unsuspecting passengers’ names.

A senior Customs officer confirmed that the suspected evasion was detected at an early stage and appears to have been operational for only two months. “The quantum of duty evasion is being assessed, and a show-cause notice will be issued shortly,” the official said, adding that travelers should remain cautious and avoid sharing personal travel details indiscriminately.