The Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted 11 Indian sailors and their merchant vessel, MV Aruna Hulya, for importing 31.5 kilogrammes of cocaine into Nigeria through the Apapa seaport. Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke handed down the conviction and ordered the defendants to pay a total of $6 million in fines and restitution, just six months after their arrest by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Discovery and Arrest
The NDLEA took the Indian crew members and the vessel into custody following the discovery of 31.5 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed in Hatch 3 of the ship at the GDNL Terminal, Apapa Port, Lagos, on January 2, 2026. The vessel's master, Sharma Bhushan, along with 10 other crew members—Bharati Kumar, Nevage Suresh, Pandey Prashant, Nuttu Anand, Akash Babu, Nilesh Bhalerad, Melethil Rahman, Barla Krishna, Prabhasukhan Singu, and Jai Parkash—were subsequently arraigned on a two-count charge in suit No. FHC/L/56C/2026.
Judgment and Penalties
After several months of trial proceedings, Justice Aneke delivered judgment based on plea bargain terms agreed upon by the prosecution and defence. The court convicted all 12 defendants under Section 25 of the NDLEA Act and imposed a fine of N100,000 on each defendant, the statutory penalty prescribed for the offence. Additionally, the court ordered the first defendant, MV Aruna Hulya, to pay restitution to the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the sum of $5.3 million or its naira equivalent. The three principal officers of the vessel—Sharma Bhushan, Nilesh Bhalerad, and Melethil Rahman—were further ordered to pay restitution of $100,000 each to the Federal Government. The remaining crew members, listed as the fifth to twelfth defendants, were directed to pay restitution of $50,000 each.
NDLEA Chairman's Reaction
Reacting to the judgment, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd), described the conviction as a strong warning to international drug trafficking networks. “The conviction of the vessel and its crew members sends a resounding message to every drug trafficking network in the world that Nigeria is no longer a safe corridor for cocaine or any other illicit substance,” he said. Marwa noted that the judgment was the third of its kind in recent times involving foreign nationals and vessels convicted on similar drug trafficking 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. 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,” he added. Marwa commended officers and personnel of the Apapa Strategic Command of the agency for uncovering the cocaine consignment concealed deep within the cargo of the vessel. He also praised the agency’s Directorate of Prosecution and Legal Services for its diligence in prosecuting the case.
