Abuja: Nigeria's primary drug enforcement agency, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), said on Sunday that it arrested 22 crew members of a merchant ship, after it was found carrying 31.5 kilograms of cocaine. The arrests were made at Lagos's main port.

Arrests were made on January 2

According to officials, arrests were made on January 2 aboard MV Aruna Hulya. The ship "originated from Marshall Islands," Femi Babafemi, spokesman for the agency, said in a statement, AFP reported. It may be noted that for long, Nigeria has been considered a trafficking and production hub for drugs across Europe and African countries.

20 Filipino sailors held in November

In November, the agency had said that it took 20 Filipino sailors into custody, who were caught ferrying around 20 kilograms of cocaine from Brazil to the same seaport. In the same month, the NDLEA had also said it was working with the United States and British anti-drug agencies to probe a cartel believed to be behind the importation of 1,000 kilograms of cocaine, which were discovered in a container at a Lagos port.

16 Indian sailors were held in 2022

It may be noted that 16 Indian sailors were detained in Nigeria, all of whom had returned to India next year. These 16 Indians, along with 10 foreigners, were part of the oil tanker MT Heroic Idun. They were facing charges of oil theft by the Nigerian authorities. They were accused of oil theft by Nigerian authorities. While undergoing trials, a settlement was agreed upon, after which they were released.

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The ship and crew were accused of a number of crimes. Among them were oil theft and wrongly accusing the Nigerian Navy of being involved in piracy. After several discussions, all charges against the crew were dropped. Subsequently, the ship was released in the month of May 2022 after paying heavy fines.