Mr Suresh Prabhakar, the Director of Operations, at Pacific Basin Shipping Limited, Hong Kong; Mr Heaky Dimowo, the Director of Marine Environment Management at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), and the President of MASPAN-AMANO, Emmanuel Maiguwa, share insights into what happens to ship owners, the crews and economy, when drugs are found on board ships.
The occasion was at a maritime security conference organised by Maritime Security Providers Association of Nigeria (MASPAN) and the Alumni of Maritime Academy of Nigeria (AMANO) in Lagos, on Thursday.
The event with the theme “Drugs &human smuggling/Trafficking: the evolving maritime security threats to ships and seafarers,” was attended by an array of maritime practitioners and security experts.
Mr Suresh in his presentation said that from February 2021 to July 2024, a troubling trend emerged in Lagos, Nigeria, as four bulk carriers laden with sugar from Santos, Brazil, became embroiled in drug-related incidents that have had far-reaching consequences for both the ship owners and the crew members.
Each of these ships was found to have significant quantities of cocaine on board, ranging from 18 to 43 kilograms, leading to prolonged detentions by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
According to him, each ship faced delays of four to six months while investigations were carried out, only to be released after the owners posted substantial bonds, ranging from $2 to $5 million.
He said that on average, ten crew members per ship were detained, and their bail was set at $40,000 per person, allowing them to stay in a hotel instead of a detention facility.
However, this bail money, totaling $400,000 for ten crew members, did little to alleviate the psychological and emotional toll of their extended detention.
He maintained that the situation has been particularly dire for crew members on two of the ships, who were detained for approximately 20 months before being released after numerous court hearings. For the remaining two ships, the crew members are still detained in Lagos, with their court cases ongoing.
Mr Suresh said one crew has been in detention for 34 months, while the other has endured 13 months of confinement.
“The mental and physical scars such incidents leave on crew members and their families are immense,” a maritime industry insider commented. “Careers are often destroyed, leaving many families in severe financial and emotional distress.”
“The financial burden on ship owners is also significant. Beyond the bonds and legal costs, they must cover the crew’s salaries and the upkeep of their families during these extended detentions.
“It would be prudent for the NDLEA to adopt similar practical measures as in the USA, Europe, and Brazil.”
The impact on the industry is profound, as owners are forced to reconsider trade routes to avoid the risk of similar incidents.
“Such cases adversely impact the ability of ship owners to engage in such trades.
“Several owners and operators are now choosing alternative trade routes.”
Suresh stated that given the significant risks of drug smuggling on board ships and the challenges faced by crews and ship owners, there are growing calls for the NDLEA to reconsider its stance.
“It would be prudent for the NDLEA to adopt similar practical measures as in the USA, Europe, and Brazil.
This would prevent unnecessary delays for ships and crews when drugs are found on board, as the consequences for them are very dire,” he said
Mr Heaky Dimowo, a Director of Marine Environment Management at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), submitted that these activities are not merely criminal acts; they erode our social fabric, destabilize communities and challenge the law enforcement at sea.
“They pose significant risk to the Maritime and Security of seafarers and vessels. Today we must confront the fact that our waters are increasingly viewed as a transit route to illicit activities.
“It is essential that we develop comprehensive strategies to address these evolving threats by leveraging technological innovations, enhancing our intelligence capabilities and fostering collaboration among critical stakeholders.
“Together, we can develop multifaceted responses that effectively combat these challenges,” he said.
In his welcome speech, President of MASPAN-AMANO, Emmanuel Maiguwa, described drug smuggling and human trafficking as transnational crimes that exploit both the points of origin and destination, and unfortunately, maritime transport provides the mobility needed to actualise these illicit crimes.
Maiguwa said that records from the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC) has shown that West Africa is a transit region for narcotics mostly emanating from South America.
“With recent incidents involving merchant ships (excluding cases of drugs concealed in cargo containers) from South America to Nigeria rising to about four (4) within the last two (2) years, this maritime corridor proves to be providing mobility for this illicit activity.
“Should Nigeria be fully recognised as a destination with such difficulties in handling cases of drugs found on ships and poor port-ship access control, the shipping industry is expected to always respond to defend and protect itself with measures. “