LAGOS, Nigeria: Nigeria’s drug enforcement agency on Sunday said it had arrested 22 Indian crew members of a merchant ship after 31.5 kilogrammes of cocaine were found on the vessel at Lagos’s main port.
The seizure was made on January 2 aboard MV Aruna Hulya which “originated from the Marshall Islands,” Femi Babafemi, spokesman for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), said in a statement.
Those arrested include the Master of the vessel, Sharma Shashi Bhushan, along with 21 other crew members.
Babafemi listed the detainees as Bharati Manoj Kumar, Bhalerao Nilesh Mukund, Nadar Anthony Macson David, Kolusu Srinivasa Rao, Sagar Gaurav, Francis Anto Beemas Nester, Jagdeep Singh, Jai Parkash, Prabhukhan Singh, Nevage Sandesh Suresh, Pandey Prashant, Nittu Anand, Akash Babu, Dasari Raju, Reddy Nandika Sanjeeba, Rana Nivesh, Melethil Insaf Rahman, Barla Chantanya Krishna, Ghosh Arijit, Mondal Raihan, and Gangwar Shiv Om.
The cocaine was discovered in hatch 3 of the vessel during a port inspection.
Global drug trafficking from India
In November 2025, the agency said it was cooperating with US and UK anti-drug authorities to investigate a cartel behind the importation of 1,000 kilogrammes of cocaine seized in a container at Lagos port.
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), India is a major hub for smuggling illegal drugs and precursor chemicals.
Shipments are often routed from India to Africa and Central America.
According to reports, India has long been central to global drug trafficking, and smuggling routes and methods have become increasingly sophisticated.
Reports also highlighted the public health impact, noting that illegal opium shipments from India are contributing to widespread addiction and harm.
In 2023, the NDLEA seized opium worth over $100 million that had been supplied from India. Nigerian authorities have also intercepted illegal Tramadol shipments, which are widely used in the country. Over four million Nigerians reportedly consume opium originating from India.
Some opioid drugs, including Tafradol and Tramadol, are produced in India by pharmaceutical firm Aveo.
The company’s director, Vinod Sharma, has confirmed the involvement of Indian authorities in curbing drug smuggling.
UNODC had warned that India remains a key hub for precursor drugs used in methamphetamine production.
These illicit shipments reach not only neighbouring countries but also distant markets in Central America and Africa.
