The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a Brazil-bound vessel, MV Nord Bosporus, at the Apapa seaport in Lagos with no less than 20 kilogrammes of cocaine concealed beneath its cargo, just six months after 10 Thai sailors were convicted for smuggling 32.9kg of the drug into Nigeria.

In a statement, NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said officers of the Agency discovered the illicit shipment on board the vessel, which arrived from the port of Santos in Brazil. 

He said: “NDLEA officers found 20 kilograms of cocaine buried under the cargo onboard MV Nord Bosporus. Following the discovery, the Master of the ship, Captain Quino Eugene Corpus, and 19 other crew members, all Filipinos, were taken into custody for investigation.”

Babafemi added that the Agency has taken immediate legal steps to secure the detention of both the ship and its crew. “Following the seizure and arrest of the crew members, the Agency filed an application for an order of court for the detention of the vessel and the 20 Filipinos on board for further investigation,”he said.

The ex-parte motion was heard before Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court in Lagos. According to Babafemi, “On Thursday 20th November 2025, the court granted the application for an initial 14 days’ detention of the vessel, Captain Corpus and the 19 other Filipino crew members.”

Reacting to the development, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), commended the agency’s officers for the successful operation. 

He said: “I commend the officers, men and women of the Apapa Strategic Command of the Agency. Nigeria will never provide a foothold for drug cartels.”

Boluwatife Enome 

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