31.5kg Cocaine Trafficking: 11 Indian Sailors, Vessel Convicted, Fined $6 Million
…Nigeria no longer a safe corridor for cocaine or any other illicit substance, Marwa warns drug cartels
Barely six months after their arrest by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for importing 31.5 kilograms of cocaine from the Marshall Islands 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 Agency took into custody the Indian crew members and their merchant vessel, MV Aruna Hulya, following the discovery of 31.5 kilograms of cocaine in Hatch 3 of the ship by NDLEA operatives at the GDNL Terminal, Apapa Port, Lagos, on Friday, January 2, 2026.
The Master of the vessel, Sharma Shashi Bhushan, and 10 other crew members, namely: 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 subsequently arraigned on a two-count charge in Suit No. FHC/L/56C/2026 before Justice Joseph Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court, Lagos.
After months of trial, the judge, on Thursday, June 11, 2026, delivered his ruling on the plea bargain agreement filed by both the prosecution and defence. Consequently, all 12 defendants were convicted under Section 25 of the NDLEA Act and sentenced to pay a fine of N100,000 each, being the statutory penalty for the offence.
In addition, the 1st defendant, the vessel, was ordered to pay restitution to the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the sum of Five Million Three Hundred Thousand US Dollars ($5.3 million) or its equivalent in naira.
The three principal officers of the vessel, who are the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th defendants — Sharma Shashi Bhushan, Nilesh Mukuno Bhalerad, and Melethil Insaf Rahman — were also ordered to pay restitution to the Federal Government in the sum of $100,000 each, while the other crew members, listed as the 5th to 12th defendants, are to pay restitution of $50,000 each.
Reacting to the landmark judgment, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), noted that 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.”
According to him:
“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.
“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 commended the officers and personnel of the Apapa Strategic Command of the Agency for their vigilance in identifying the cocaine consignment concealed deep within the cargo of a massive merchant vessel. He also specifically expressed appreciation to the Agency’s Directorate of Prosecution and Legal Services for their diligence in prosecuting the case.
Femi Babafemi
Director, Media & Advocacy
NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja
Thursday, June 11, 2026
