The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has successfully obtained an order from the Federal High Court in Lagos to detain a foreign‑flagged vessel, its captain and 20 crew members following the seizure of a substantial shipment of cocaine arriving from Brazil.
According to the court order granted by Justice Frida Nkemakonam Ogazi, the vessel — identified as the MV San Antonio — along with its captain and 20 other crew members, will remain in NDLEA custody for an initial 14 days while investigations continue and pending the filing of criminal charges and prosecution. The matter was adjourned until December 29, 2025.
The order followed the discovery of 25.5 kilograms of cocaine concealed in the ship’s hatch after it arrived at the Apapa seaport in Lagos on December 6, 2025, from Brazil. Operatives of the NDLEA, acting on credible intelligence, seized the illicit drugs during a search of the vessel and detained the captain and crew.
The detained crew members are of diverse nationalities, including representatives from Russia, the Philippines, Ukraine and Azerbaijan, according to the court documents.
The recent action comes on the heels of a similar interception in November 2025, when NDLEA operatives seized another cocaine‑laden vessel — the MV Nord Bosporus — from the port of Santos, Brazil, with more than 20 kilograms of Class A drug hidden beneath its cargo at Apapa seaport.
NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.) hailed the latest seizure and court order as a demonstration of the agency’s enhanced operational capacity and zero‑tolerance stance against international drug cartels. He reiterated that Nigeria would remain vigilant against attempts to use its ports as conduits for illicit drug trafficking, emphasizing strong collaboration with national and international partners to combat transnational crime.
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