The machines -- bearing brand names such as Toyota, Nissan, Ford and Mazda -- had been imported from Singapore without a license. The container which had the machines was unloaded at the port in December 1998 and the cargo had been lying uncleared since then.

The DRI authorities told Newsline on Monday night that they were suspicious of the cargo right from the beginning.

They had kept a watch because of reports that a Bhavnagar-based importing company, GM Enterprises, was in the habit of getting such cargo cleared at an opportune time through their sister organisation at Kandla. They said that their suspicion was proved right when the company finally filed the bill of entry through its Gandhidham-based clearing agent, M S Shakti Enterprises, on July 17 for clearance of the cargo.