NDLEA Seizes 20kg Of Cocaine On Brazil-bound Vessel At Lagos Port

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted 20 kilograms of cocaine concealed on the Brazil-bound vessel MV Nord Bosporus at the Apapa seaport in Lagos.

Following the seizure, the ship’s master, Captain Quino Eugene Corpus, and 19 Filipino crew members, were detained under a court order obtained by the anti-narcotics agency.

The cocaine was discovered on Sunday, November 16, 2025, when the vessel arrived from Santos, Brazil. Captain Corpus, who had served on the vessel for just three months, and his crew, were immediately taken into custody pending further investigation.

The NDLEA secured an ex-parte order from Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court, Lagos in suit number FHC/L/MISC/1306/25, granting a 14-day detention for the vessel and its crew, effective Thursday, November 20, 2025.

Investigators noted that MV Nord Bosporus was arriving in Nigeria and Africa for the first time, having previously transported coal between Colombia and Brazil.

NDLEA chairman and Chief Executive, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), reaffirmed the agency’s strict stance against drug trafficking. He warned that Nigerians aiding foreign drug syndicates would face serious consequences.

“You are not just committing a crime; you are betraying your nation’s future. The consequences of aiding and abetting drug trafficking will be severe and unrelenting,” he said.