ED’s Kochi zonal team conducted simultaneous raids at 17 places in Kerala and Tamil Nadu on Wednesday (October 08, 2025). This action was taken under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). The investigation was being conducted on a network which was involved in illegal import of expensive foreign cars from Bhutan and illegal transactions related to foreign currency. According to ED, this network was being run by two businessmen from Coimbatore, Sathik Basha and Imran Khan.
Both were partners in a firm named Shine Motors. It is alleged that these people bought second hand luxury cars from Bhutan and got these cars made in India without paying custom duty by making fake NOC. Investigation has revealed that during 2023-24, these accused purchased about 16 vehicles from Bhutan. In this, the help of a middleman from Bhutan, Sha Kinley, who is a retired officer of the army there, was taken. The cars were first brought to the Bhutan-India border, then transported by car carrier truck to Coimbatore via Kolkata, Bhubaneswar and Chennai.
Car parcel to India without import duty
This entire operation was done without the knowledge of the customs department and import duty was not paid on any vehicle. According to ED, these cars were later disassembled and sold in parts. Especially in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and other states. These parts were also sold through OLX and social media platforms.
Payment was made in cash or transferred to personal bank accounts. Statutory invoice or import-export code was not used for any vehicle or deal. ED teams conducted raids in Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kottayam, Coimbatore and Chennai.
The accused confessed to the crime
During the operation many important documents, laptop, mobile, bank records and WhatsApp chats were recovered. The evidence found during the raid included fake NOC, negotiations with foreign suppliers and list of buyers.
During interrogation, Sathik Basha and Imran Khan confessed in their statements that they had purchased vehicles illegally from Bhutan and sold them without paying tax. Now ED is tracing the trail of bank accounts and money, so that it can be known where the money was transferred.
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