NDLEA Intercepts Brazil Ship With 20kg Cocaine, Detains Vessel, Arrests 20 Filipino Crew Members
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a Brazil-bound vessel, MV Nord Bosporus, at the Apapa seaport in Lagos with 20 kilograms of cocaine concealed beneath its cargo, the latest in a series of high-profile maritime drug busts at Nigerian ports.
The vessel, with identification number 9760110, sailed from the Port of Santos in Brazil and was boarded by NDLEA officers on Sunday, 16 November 2025, during a routine operation that led to the discovery of the illicit consignment. The entire crew—20 Filipino nationals, including the ship’s Master, Captain Quino Eugene Corpus—was immediately taken into custody for investigation.
Following the arrests, the NDLEA approached the Federal High Court in Lagos seeking an order for the detention of the vessel and crew. The motion ex-parte, filed in suit number FHC/L/MISC/1306/25, was heard by Justice Musa Kakaki, who on Thursday, 20 November 2025, granted the agency’s request for an initial 14-day detention.
Preliminary investigations indicate that this was the vessel’s first trip into Nigeria and Africa, having previously operated mainly on coal routes between Colombia and Brazil. Captain Corpus is also reported to have been in command of the vessel for only three months.
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The interception mirrors a similar incident in October 2021, when NDLEA officers arrested 10 Thai sailors aboard MV Chayanee Naree for transporting 32.9kg of cocaine from Brazil to Nigeria. Following their prosecution, a Federal High Court conviction delivered on 15 May 2025 imposed a $4.3 million fine on the crew and the ship.
Reacting to the latest seizure, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), praised the professionalism and vigilance of officers at the Apapa Strategic Command and the Directorate of Seaport Operations. He described the operation as “a demonstration of our heightened capacity and unwavering resolve” to prevent illicit drugs from infiltrating the country.
Marwa issued a stern warning to transnational drug syndicates:
“Nigeria is not, and will never be, your space or your foothold. 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.”
He added that no level of concealment or sophistication would shield traffickers from the agency’s expanding intelligence network and international collaborations.
The NDLEA boss also cautioned Nigerians who collaborate with foreign cartels:
“You are not just committing a crime; you are betraying your nation’s future. The consequences will be severe and unrelenting. We are committed to using the full force of the law to dismantle your structures, seize your illicit assets, and secure your long-term incarceration.”
The agency says investigations into the circumstances surrounding the vessel’s cargo and route are ongoing.
By PRNigeria
