Court convicts 11 Indian sailors, orders $6m penalty over cocaine smuggling

A Federal High Court successful Lagos has convicted 11 Indian sailors and their vessel, MV Aruna Hulya, implicit the importation of 31.5 kilograms of cocaine into Nigeria, imposing fines and restitution amounting to astir $6 million.

The vas and its unit were arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) aft the illicit consignment was discovered during a regular inspection astatine Apapa Port successful January 2026.

The vessel had arrived from the Marshall Islands erstwhile the cocaine was recovered concealed wrong 1 of its cargo compartments.

Delivering judgment, Justice Joseph Aneke upheld a plea bargain statement reached betwixt the prosecution and the defence, convicting each defendants nether the NDLEA Act.

The tribunal ordered each of the 11 unit members to wage a good of N100,000, portion the vas was directed to wage $5.3 cardinal successful restitution to the Federal Government.

Three main officers aboard the vessel were further ordered to wage $100,000 each, portion the remaining unit members were directed to wage $50,000 each arsenic restitution.

Reacting to the judgment, NDLEA ...