According to police, shipping agents and others involved in various activities at the port are hand in glove in these theft cases. These siphoned off soyabean bags were sold to the same exporters or others at very cheap rates.

Police said the culprits were taking advantage of a clause under which about three per cent of the total cargo that is loaded onto ships is allowed as loss in transportation. "Taking advantage of this, some culprits in connivance with the shipping agents, boat owners and exporters themselves siphon off soyabean bags into small boats before they can be loaded."

This booty is then sold again, sometimes to the same exporter who was supposed tobuy those. "The exporter does not complain because he is getting it at a very cheap rate."

Although the Jamnagar police have rounded off some persons in this connection, there have been no complaints lodged with the police and most of the times the culprits go scot-free by producing bogus bills issued by shipping agents or exporters themselves.