By Seyi Odewale
A Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted 11 Indian sailors and their merchant vessel, MV Aruna Hulya, over cocaine trafficking and ordered them to pay a combined six million dollars in fines and restitution.
Justice Joseph Chukwujekwu Aneke delivered the judgment on Thursday after adopting a plea bargain agreement reached between the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the defendants in suit number FHC/L/56C/2026.
The conviction followed the seizure of 31.5 kilograms of cocaine by NDLEA operatives on January 2, 2026, during an inspection of the vessel at the GDNL Terminal, Apapa Port, Lagos.
The ship, which arrived from the Marshall Islands, was found to have concealed the illicit drug inside Hatch Three of the vessel.
Following the discovery, NDLEA arrested the ship’s master, Sharma Shashi Bhushan, and 10 crew members, who were subsequently arraigned alongside the vessel on two counts under the NDLEA Act.
Under the court-approved plea bargain, each of the 12 defendants was fined N100,000, while the vessel was ordered to pay $5.3 million in restitution to the Federal Government.
The court also directed the ship’s master and two senior crew members to pay $100,000 each in restitution, while the remaining eight crew members were ordered to pay $50,000 each.
Reacting to the judgment, NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, described the ruling as a major blow to international drug trafficking syndicates.
“This judgment is the third of its kind in recent times, following the convictions of foreign nationals and vessels on similar charges,” Marwa said.
He added that the ruling demonstrated the effectiveness of the agency’s intelligence-led operations and underscored Nigeria’s determination to block drug trafficking routes.
“Whether you come by air, land, or sea — whether you are a Nigerian or a foreign national — if you attempt to use our waters as a narcotics highway, you will face the full weight of Nigerian law,” he said.
Marwa commended officers of the NDLEA Apapa Strategic Command for uncovering the cocaine and praised the agency’s legal team for securing the conviction.
According to the NDLEA, the judgment marks the third recent conviction involving a foreign vessel and crew for drug trafficking offences in Nigeria.
