Key facts
- A Nigerian court convicted 11 Indian sailors and their vessel, MV Aruna Hulya, for cocaine trafficking.
- Authorities found 31.5 kilograms of cocaine concealed aboard the ship at Apapa port.
- The court imposed total fines of approximately $6 million on the crew and the vessel.
- The ship faces restitution of $5.3 million to the Nigerian government.
- The ruling is part of Nigeria's broader crackdown on drug trafficking networks.
A Nigerian court has convicted 11 Indian sailors and their vessel, the MV Aruna Hulya, over the trafficking of 31.5 kilograms of cocaine. The Federal High Court in Lagos imposed total fines of approximately $6 million, including restitution to the Nigerian government, as part of a wider crackdown on drug smuggling routes.
Authorities discovered the cocaine concealed in a storage compartment aboard the ship at Apapa port earlier this year. The crew, including Captain Sharma Shashi Bhushan, were arrested on January 2. The court convicted all 12 defendants, including the vessel itself, under Nigeria's anti-drug laws.
Each senior officer was fined 100,000 naira, while other crew members received 50,000 naira fines. The ship was ordered to pay $5.3 million in restitution, with its owners liable for the payment or facing auction. NDLEA Chairman Mohamed Buba Marwa stated the judgment sends a strong message to international drug trafficking networks.