ABUJA, June 11 (Reuters) - A Nigerian court has convicted 11 Indian sailors and their vessel over the trafficking of cocaine into the country, imposing fines totaling $6 million, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said on Thursday.
The Federal High Court in Lagos found the crew of the merchant ship MV Aruna Hulya guilty after authorities discovered 31.5 kilograms of cocaine concealed aboard the vessel at Apapa port earlier this year.
The case forms part of a broader crackdown by Nigerian authorities on drug trafficking through key commercial entry points such as Lagos..
Nigeria has been working to strengthen enforcement against drug trafficking networks, which often use the country as a transit route for illicit substances destined for Europe and other markets.
The crew, including captain Sharma Shashi Bhushan and 10 other Indian nationals, were arrested on January 2 after NDLEA operatives found the drugs hidden in one of the ship’s storage compartments, the agency said.
In its ruling, the court convicted all 12 defendants – including the vessel itself – under Nigeria’s anti-drug laws. The ship, which transported the drugs, is also tried under the local law. A spokesman of the drug enforcement agency said the defendants had agreed the terms of the conviction and it was presented to the judge for the seal of the court.
Each crew member was ordered to pay a fine of 100,000 naira, while the ship was directed to pay $5.3 million in restitution to the Nigerian government. The ship's owners are liable for the fine and if they can't pay, the vessel is auctioned off.
Three senior officers on board were also fined $100,000 each, while the remaining crew members were ordered to pay $50,000 each, bringing the total financial penalties to about $6 million. A
NDLEA Chairman Mohamed Buba Marwa said the judgement sends a strong signal to international drug trafficking networks.
(Reporting by Camillus EbohWriting by Chijioke Ohuocha; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)
