The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted 20 kilograms of cocaine concealed aboard a Brazil-bound vessel, MV Nord Bosporus, at the Apapa seaport in Lagos.
The ship, its master and 19 Filipino crew members were detained after the Agency secured a court order authorising their custody. According to the NDLEA, officers discovered the illicit substance on Sunday, 16 November 2025, shortly after the vessel arrived from the port of Santos, Brazil.
The vessel’s master, Captain Quino Eugene Corpus, and the crew were immediately taken into custody pending further investigation.
Following the seizure, the NDLEA filed an ex-parte motion before Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court in Lagos. In suit number FHC/L/MISC/1306/25, the court granted an initial 14-day detention order for the vessel, the captain and the crew on Thursday, 20 November 2025.
Investigators found that MV Nord Bosporus was visiting Nigeria—and Africa—for the first time, having previously been used mainly to transport coal between Colombia and Brazil. Captain Corpus had also served only three months on the ship before the arrest.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), reiterated the Agency’s uncompromising stance against drug trafficking and warned Nigerians colluding with international syndicates.
“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. 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,” he said.
