The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has
intercepted a vessel carrying 20 kilogrammes of cocaine at the Apapa seaport in
Lagos.
In a statement on Friday, Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson,
said the vessel, MV Nord Bosporus with registration number 9760110, arrived
from Santos in Brazil.
Babafemi said NDLEA officers discovered the Class A drug
buried under the ship’s cargo on Sunday, November 16, 2025.
He said the master of the vessel, Captain Quino Eugene
Corpus, and 19 other Filipino crew members, were taken into custody for
investigation.
The spokesperson said the agency filed an ex-parte
application in suit number FHC/L/MISC/1306/25 before Justice Musa Kakaki of the
federal high court, Lagos, seeking detention of the vessel and crew.
“The motion ex parte in suit number FHC/L/MISC/1306/25 was
argued before Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court, Lagos, who on
Thursday, 20th November 2025, granted the application for an initial 14-day
detention of the vessel, Capt. Corpus and 19 other Filipino crew members,”
Babafemi said.
According to him, preliminary investigations showed that the
MV Nord Bosporus was visiting Nigeria and Africa for the first time.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that this was the first
time the vessel was coming to Nigeria and Africa, as it’s been largely
transporting coal between Colombia and Brazil, while Captain Corpus has been
barely three months with the ship,” he said.
The interception comes six months after 10 Thai sailors
aboard the MV Chayanee Naree were convicted for attempting to bring 32.9
kilogrammes of cocaine from Brazil into Nigeria through the same port.
The federal high court in Lagos fined the sailors and the
vessel $4.3 million on May 15, 2025.
Buba Marwa, NDLEA chairman, commended the Apapa command and
the Directorate of Seaport Operations for the latest seizure.
He described the operation as proof of the agency’s enhanced
capacity and commitment to securing Nigeria’s borders.
“Let this be an unambiguous message to every international
drug cartel and every internal collaborator: Nigeria is not, and will never be,
your space or your foothold,” Marwa said.
“The NDLEA is operating with zero tolerance, and we will not
permit any illicit drug to pass through our borders, whether by air, land, or
sea.
“You may scheme, you may attempt sophisticated concealment,
but you will fail. Our intelligence network, collaboration with international
partners, and the dedication of our officers are steps ahead of your nefarious
activities.”
Marwa also warned Nigerians working with foreign drug
syndicates that they would face severe legal consequences.
In June 2024, the NDLEA reported seizing 207,976 kilogrammes
of hard drugs between January 2023 and March 2024 across various seaports in
the country.
Babafemi said in the first quarter of 2024, 14 suspects were
arrested with 16.69kg of cocaine and 11,622.229kg of cannabis sativa.
He added that 167 persons were arrested with 196,336.99kg of
various types of drugs from January to October 2023.
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