The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a vessel arriving from Brazil with 20 kilograms of cocaine concealed beneath its cargo, leading to the detention of the ship MV Nord Bosporus (IMO 9760110) and its 20-member Filipino crew at the Apapa seaport in Lagos.
The illicit substance was uncovered on Sunday, 16 November 2025, during a thorough search by NDLEA operatives. The ship’s Master, Captain Quino Eugene Corpus, and all 19 other crew members were immediately taken into custody as part of an ongoing investigation.
Following the discovery, the Agency filed a motion ex-parte before Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court, Lagos. On Thursday, 20 November 2025, the court granted an initial 14-day detention order for both the vessel and its crew to enable deeper investigation into the transnational trafficking operation.
Preliminary findings indicated that the MV Nord Bosporus was calling at a Nigerian port and indeed any African port for the first time. The ship has primarily operated between Colombia and Brazil, transporting coal, while its Captain has spent just three months on board.
The interception mirrors a previous major bust in October 2021 involving the vessel MV Chayanee Naree, whose 10 Thai sailors and nine Nigerian accomplices were arrested for smuggling 32.9 kilograms of cocaine from Brazil. They were subsequently convicted and fined $4.3 million on 15 May 2025 by Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court in Lagos.
Reacting to the latest seizure, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended officers of the Apapa Strategic Command and the Directorate of Seaport Operations for their vigilance and professionalism.
Marwa described the operation as proof of NDLEA’s strengthened intelligence capacity and unwavering resolve to secure Nigeria’s maritime borders:
“This seizure is not only an operational success but a clear demonstration of our heightened capability. We will continue to tighten our grip on all entry and exit points, especially the seaports that transnational drug cartels have historically tried to exploit.”
Issuing a firm warning to global trafficking networks, he added; “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. You may scheme, you may attempt sophisticated concealment, but you will fail.”
Marwa also cautioned Nigerians aiding foreign drug syndicates;“You are betraying your nation’s future. The consequences will be severe and unrelenting. We will dismantle your structures, seize your illicit assets, and ensure long-term incarceration.”
