Court Convicts 11 Indian Sailors, Vessel Over Cocaine Trafficking, Imposes $6 Million Fine
Oru Leonard
A Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted 11 Indian sailors and their merchant vessel, MV Aruna Hulya, for trafficking 31.5 kilograms of cocaine into Nigeria through the Apapa seaport, imposing fines and restitution totaling about $6 million.
The conviction comes barely six months after operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted the cocaine shipment concealed in hatch three of the vessel at the GDNL terminal, Apapa Port, on January 2, 2026.
The vessel’s master, Sharma Shashi Bhushan, alongside 10 crew members — Bharati Manoj Kumar, Nevage Sandesh Suresh, Pandey Prashant, Nuttu Anand, Akash Babu, Nilesh Mukuno Bhalerad, Melethil Insaf Rahman, Barla Chantanya Krishna, Prabhasukhan Singu and Jai Parkash — were arraigned before Justice Joseph Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on a two-count charge under suit number FHC/L/56C/2026.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, June 11, 2026, the court adopted a plea bargain agreement reached between the prosecution and the defence. All 12 defendants, including the vessel, were convicted under Section 25 of the NDLEA Act and ordered to pay a fine of N100,000 each.
In addition, the court directed the vessel, listed as the first defendant, to pay restitution of $5.3 million to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The vessel’s three principal officers — Sharma Shashi Bhushan, Nilesh Mukuno Bhalerad and Melethil Insaf Rahman — were each ordered to pay an additional restitution of $100,000, while the remaining crew members were directed to pay $50,000 each.
Reacting to the judgment, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Buba Marwa, described the ruling as a strong warning to international drug trafficking networks.
He said the conviction demonstrates that Nigeria is no longer a safe transit route for cocaine and other illicit substances, stressing that the agency’s intelligence-driven operations have continued to frustrate attempts by drug cartels to exploit the country’s borders and maritime channels.
Marwa noted that the judgment is the third recent conviction involving foreign nationals and vessels linked to drug trafficking, adding that anyone seeking to use Nigeria’s airspace, land borders or territorial waters for narcotics trafficking would face the full force of the law.
The NDLEA boss commended officers and personnel of the Apapa Strategic Command for uncovering the cocaine consignment hidden deep within the cargo vessel. He also praised the agency’s Directorate of Prosecution and Legal Services for securing the successful prosecution of the case.
According to Marwa, the latest conviction underscores Nigeria’s determination to sustain the fight against drug trafficking and strengthen enforcement measures at all ports of entry.
