Lagos, Nigeria, 05 January (H.S.): Nigeria's National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) apprehended 22 Indian nationals—comprising vessel master Sharma Shashi Bhushan and 21 crew—from the Marshall Islands-flagged merchant ship MV Aruna Hulya on Friday, January 2, after unearthing 31.5 kilograms of cocaine secreted in hatch three at Apapa Port's GDNL Terminal, the agency's spokesperson Femi Babafemi disclosed Sunday.
The interdiction, executed in seamless synergy with Nigeria Customs Service Apapa Command under Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, netted 30 slabs (30.1kg net per some tallies) amid 2026's inaugural working day, vaulting NDLEA's seizures as a bold statement against maritime narco-trafficking via West Africa's premier gateway.
Smuggling Nexus Exposed
Apapa, Lagos' pulsating economic artery, emerges as recurrent flashpoint: November ensnared 20 Filipino mariners shuttling 20kg Brazilian cocaine aboard another hull; prior, a 1,000kg container cache spurred US-UK collaborations; December 6, 2025, MV San Antonio's 25.5kg sugar-camouflaged haul—its 21 crew remanded 14 days more by Justice Friday Ogazi—plus 1,187kg Canadian Loud cannabis vacuum-packed in 2,374 parcels across 55 auto-laden bags from Canada.
MV Aruna Hulya's contraband, street-valued at millions destined Europe/Africa, underscores Nigeria's pivot as transshipment nexus post-cocoa/shipping probes yielding ketamine, ecstasy, tramadol in coffee sachets/book parcels December 24/29.
Maritime Menace Persists
NDLEA vows forensic pursuit mirroring MV San Antonio litigation, with Oshoba hailing intelligence-led enforcement outpacing sophisticated tactics in import/export/transit guises; Babafemi affirmed zero tolerance, as Apapa's vigilance—bolstered interagency pacts—thwarts syndicates exploiting porous sea lanes.
The crew faces arraignment, vessel impounded, probing supply chains amid Nigeria's entrenched role funneling narcotics continentward.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
