The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has obtained a Federal High Court order in Lagos to detain a cargo vessel, its captain and 20 other crew members following the seizure of 25.5 kilograms of cocaine at the Apapa seaport.
The cocaine was discovered on December 6, 2025, aboard the merchant ship MV San Antonio, which arrived in Lagos from Brazil. NDLEA operatives, acting on credible intelligence, uncovered the illicit drug hidden inside the vessel’s hatch during inspection at the port.
After the ship fully discharged its cargo, all 21 crew members—comprising nationals of Russia, the Philippines, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and other countries—were taken into NDLEA custody alongside the seized cocaine.
The latest interception comes barely weeks after a similar operation on November 16, when NDLEA officers seized about 20 kilograms of cocaine concealed beneath the cargo of another Brazil-bound vessel, MV Nord Bosporus, also at the Apapa seaport.
Those detained in the current operation include the vessel’s master, Trofymov Oleksandr, and 20 other crew members.
In line with international maritime and legal procedures, the NDLEA on Friday, December 12, filed an ex-parte application before Justice Frida Nkemakonam Ogazi of the Federal High Court, Lagos, seeking an order to detain the vessel and its crew pending the conclusion of investigations and the filing of formal charges.
Granting the application, the court ordered the detention of MV San Antonio and the 21 crew members for an initial period of 14 days following the seizure of the cocaine. The case was adjourned to December 29, 2025.
Reacting to the development, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd), said the seizure underscores the agency’s determination to block international drug trafficking networks from using Nigeria as a transit or destination point.
He commended officers of the NDLEA Apapa Strategic Command for the consecutive successful interceptions, describing the operations as evidence of the agency’s strengthened capacity and resolve.
“We remain resolute in frustrating drug syndicates targeting Nigeria and the West African sub-region,” Marwa said, adding that the agency will continue to work with local and international partners to enforce zero tolerance for illicit drug trafficking and substance abuse.