Lagos: A Nigerian court has found eleven Indian sailors guilty of cocaine trafficking, resulting in a hefty fine of USD 5.3 million imposed on their merchant vessel.
Approximately six months prior, these sailors were apprehended by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for allegedly bringing 31.5 kilograms of cocaine from the Marshall Islands into Nigeria via the Apapa seaport in Lagos, as stated in a recent announcement.
The vessel's captain, along with ten crew members, faced conviction under the NDLEA Act, as ruled by Justice Joseph Chukwujekwu Aneke.
The court mandated the ship to pay USD 5.3 million in restitution to the Nigerian government. The three main officers were instructed to pay USD 100,000 each, while the other crew members were fined USD 50,000 each. Additionally, each defendant received a fine of 100,000 Naira.
Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd), Chairman of the NDLEA, remarked that this conviction delivers a "strong message" to drug trafficking organizations, asserting that "Nigeria is no longer a safe passage for cocaine or any other illegal substances," according to the NDLEA's statement.
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