Court convicts 11 Indian sailors, seizes vessel over 31.5kg cocaine at Apapa port, slams $6m fine

• Nigeria is no longer a safe corridor – NDLEA boss Marwa

A Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted 11 Indian sailors and their merchant vessel, MV Aruna Hulya, over the importation of 31.5 kilograms of cocaine through Apapa seaport, ordering total fines and restitution of $6 million.

Justice Joseph Chukwujekwu Aneke delivered the ruling on Thursday, 11 June 2026, after accepting plea bargain terms filed by the prosecution and defence in suit number FHC/L/56C/2026.

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, arrested the crew and seized the vessel on Friday, 2 January 2026, after discovering 31.5kg of cocaine hidden in hatch 3 of the ship at the GDNL terminal, Apapa port, Lagos.

The vessel had sailed in from the Marshall Islands, according to a statement issued by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi on Thursday.

The Master of the Vessel, Sharma Shashi Bhushan, and 10 other crew members were arraigned on two counts: 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.

All 12 defendants were convicted under Section 25 of the NDLEA Act and sentenced to pay ₦100,000 each, the statutory penalty for the offence.

In addition, the court ordered restitution to the Federal Republic of Nigeria: Vessel, MV Aruna Hulya: $5,300,000 or equivalent in naira; three principal officers – Sharma Shashi Bhushan, Nilesh Mukuno Bhalerad, Melethil Insaf Rahman ($100,000 each) and other eight crew members ($50,000 each). Total restitution and fines amount to $6 million.

Nigeria is no longer a safe corridor – Marwa
Reacting to the judgment, NDLEA Chairman/CEO Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) said the conviction sends a clear warning to drug cartels worldwide.

“This judgment is the third of its kind in recent times, following the convictions of foreign nationals and vessels on similar charges. Let it be known that these are not coincidences, they are the direct result of deliberate, intelligence-led operations by our officers who remain vigilant at every port of entry,” Marwa said.

“The NDLEA will not relent. 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. Our courts have spoken, and we will continue to give them reason to speak. The war against drug trafficking is one we are winning and we intend to keep it that way.”

Marwa commended officers of the Apapa Strategic Command for detecting the consignment “buried deep within the cargo of a massive commodity vessel” and praised the Directorate of Prosecution and Legal Services for diligent prosecution.

The NDLEA said barely six months after the arrest, the case has been concluded, reinforcing its message that Nigeria’s seaports are under watch.