NDLEA intercepts cocaine shipment from Brazil, detains ship, 20 Filipinos
Buba Marwa, NDLEA Boss
Barely six months after 10 Thai sailors and their ship were convicted and fined $4.3million for bringing 32.9kg cocaine into Nigeria, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have again intercepted another drug-laden vessel in Lagos.
The commodity laden vessel – MV Nord Bosporus – marked 9760110 from the port of Santos in Brazil was intercepted at the Apapa seaport in Lagos with no less than 20 kilograms of the Class A drug buried under its cargo.
The illicit drug consignment was discovered on board the vessel on Sunday 16th November 2025 by NDLEA officers who thereafter took the Master of the ship, Captain Quino Eugene Corpus and 19 other crew members who are all Filipinos into custody for investigation.
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, which Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court, Lagos, granted on Thursday 20th November 2025.
The judge allowed the NDLEA to detain the suspects for 14 days.
The Chairman of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), has commended operatives of the Apapa Strategic Command and those of the Directorate of Seaport Operations for their vigilance, diligence and professionalism.
Marwa said the cocaine seizure is not just an operational success but “a clear demonstration of our heightened capacity and unwavering resolve”.
“We will continue to tighten our grip on all entry and exit points, especially our seaports, which transnational criminal organisations have historically attempted to exploit.”
“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.
“The NDLEA is operating with zero-tolerance, and we will not permit any illicit drug to pass through our borders, whether by air, land, or sea. You may scheme, you may attempt sophisticated concealment, but you will fail. Our intelligence network, collaboration with international partners, and the dedication of our officers are steps ahead of your nefarious activities.”
He warned that any Nigerian who chooses to collaborate with foreign syndicates in the illicit drug trade, the NDLEA will not spare them.
“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”, Marwa said.
