A Federal High Court in Lagos has found 11 Indian sailors and their ship, MV Aruna Hulya, guilty for bringing 31.5 kilogrammes of cocaine into Nigeria. The court imposed fines and restitution amounting to about $6 million.
This conviction happened just six months after the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested the crew and seized the ship. The arrest followed the discovery of the illegal drug at the Apapa seaport in Lagos.
The cocaine was seized by NDLEA officers on January 2, 2026, during an inspection at the GDNL terminal of Apapa Port. They found 31.5kg of cocaine hidden in Hatch 3 of the vessel, which had come from the Marshall Islands.
The ship's captain, Sharma Bhushan, and 10 other crew members were taken to court by Justice Joseph Aneke. They faced a two-count charge in case number FHC/L/56C/2026. The other crew members are Bharati Kumar, Nevage Suresh, Pandey Prashant, Nuttu Anand, Akash Babu, Nilesh Bhalerad, Melethil Insaf Rahman, Barla Krishna, Prabhasukhan Singu, and Jai Parkash.
On Thursday, a statement from NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi noted that Justice Aneke accepted the plea bargain made by both the prosecution and the defense. He convicted all 12 defendants under Section 25 of the NDLEA Act.
According to the judgement, each defendant must pay a fine of N100,000, which is the legal penalty for the offence. Additionally, the vessel, MV Aruna Hulya, must pay restitution of $5.3 million to Nigeria.
"After months in court, the judge on Thursday, June 11, 2026, gave his ruling based on the plea bargain terms filed by both sides in this case.
"As a result, all 12 defendants were found guilty under Section 25 of the NDLEA Act and sentenced to pay N100,000 each.
"Also, the first defendant, the vessel, is to pay restitution of $5,300,000 or its equivalent in naira to the Federal Republic of Nigeria," the judge was quoted as saying.
The court instructed the ship's three main officers, Sharma Shashi Bhushan, Nilesh Mukuno Bhalerad, and Melethil Insaf Rahman, to pay $100,000 each as restitution to the government. The other crew members, who are the fifth to twelfth defendants, must pay $50,000 each as restitution.
In response to the ruling, NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.) called the conviction a strong warning to drug trafficking groups. He said, "This judgement is the third of its kind recently, following the convictions of foreign nationals and ships for similar crimes.
"Let it be clear that these are not accidents; they are the results of careful, intelligence-led operations by our officers who stay alert at every entry point."
Marwa added that the ruling shows Nigeria will no longer be a route for illegal drugs. "The NDLEA will not back down. Whether by air, land, or sea, whether you are Nigerian or from another country, if you try to use our waters for drug trafficking, you will face the full force of the law.
"Our courts have made their decision, and we will keep giving them reasons to decide. We are winning the fight against drug trafficking, and we intend to continue this way," he stated.
Marwa also praised the officers from the NDLEA's Apapa Strategic Command for finding the cocaine hidden in the ship's cargo section. He commended the Directorate of Prosecution and Legal Services for securing the conviction.
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