Nigeria’s drug enforcement agency has reportedly arrested 22 Indian crew members of a merchant vessel after 31.5 kilogrammes of cocaine were discovered onboard at Lagos’s main port, officials said on Sunday.
22 Indian ship crew members arrested in drug bust in Nigeria (Representative image/Unspalsh)
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The seizure was made on January 2 aboard MV Aruna Hulya, according to AFP. The ship had “originated from Marshall Islands,” Femi Babafemi, spokesperson for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), said in a statement cited by the news agency.
The arrests come amid a series of high-profile maritime drug seizures by Nigerian authorities. In November, the NDLEA said it had arrested 20 Filipino sailors who were allegedly ferrying at least 20 kilogrammes of cocaine from Brazil to the same Lagos port.
Earlier in the same month, the agency said it was working with US and British anti-drug agencies to investigate a cartel linked to the importation of 1,000 kilograms of cocaine discovered inside a container at a Lagos port.
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Nigeria has long been considered a major trafficking and production hub for drugs destined for Europe and other African countries. Authorities have repeatedly said they are stepping up surveillance and international cooperation to curb large-scale smuggling operations through the country’s ports.
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Nigeria has long been considered a major trafficking and production hub for drugs destined for Europe and other African countries. Authorities have repeatedly said they are stepping up surveillance and international cooperation to curb large-scale smuggling operations through the country’s ports.
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Home/India News/22 Indian crew members held in Nigeria drug bust; over 31 kg cocaine found
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