Barely six months after their arrest by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for importing 31.5 kilograms of cocaine into Nigeria through the Apapa seaport in Lagos, 11 Indian sailors and their merchant vessel, MV Aruna Hulya, have been convicted and fined a total of six million US dollars ($6 million) by a Federal High Court in Lagos.
The conviction stems from an operation carried out on January 2, 2026, when NDLEA operatives discovered the cocaine concealed in hatch 3 of the vessel at the GDNL terminal, Apapa Port, leading to the immediate arrest of the crew and seizure of the ship.
Following the discovery, the Master of the Vessel, Sharma Shashi Bhushan, alongside 10 other 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 on a two-count charge in suit number FHC/L/56C/2026 before Justice Joseph Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court, Lagos.
The trial that followed the arraignment spanned several months, culminating on Thursday, June 11, 2026, when the court delivered its judgment based on plea bargain terms submitted by both the prosecution and defence.
In the ruling, all defendants were convicted under Section 25 of the NDLEA Act and fined ₦100,000 each, in addition to other penalties prescribed under the law.
Building on the conviction of the individuals, the court also imposed financial sanctions on the vessel itself, ordering MV Aruna Hulya—the first defendant—to pay restitution of $5.3 million or its naira equivalent to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Further penalties were imposed on key crew members, as the three principal officers — Sharma Shashi Bhushan, Nilesh Mukuno Bhalerad, and Melethil Insaf Rahman — were directed to pay $100,000 each, while the remaining crew members were fined $50,000 each as restitution.
Reacting to the judgment, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), said the conviction reinforces Nigeria’s zero tolerance for drug trafficking and sends a clear message to international syndicates that the country will not serve as a transit route for illicit substances.
He noted that this marks the third recent conviction involving foreign nationals and vessels, attributing the outcomes to sustained intelligence-led operations by the agency across major entry points.
Marwa further reiterated that the NDLEA will continue to intensify its operations, warning that anyone attempting to exploit Nigeria’s territory for drug trafficking will face the full weight of the law.
He also commended officers of the Apapa Strategic Command for their vigilance in uncovering the concealed cocaine shipment, as well as the Directorate of Prosecution and Legal Services for their role in securing the conviction.