NDLEA Secures Court Order to Detain Brazilian Vessel, Captain, 20 Crew Over ₦25.5kg Cocaine Seizure at Apapa Port
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has obtained an order from the Federal High Court in Lagos to detain a foreign vessel, its captain, and 20 crew members following the seizure of 25.5 kilograms of cocaine at the Apapa seaport in Lagos.
The cocaine was discovered concealed inside the hatch of a commodity vessel, MV San Antonio, which arrived in Nigeria from Brazil. Operatives of the NDLEA, acting on credible intelligence, uncovered the illicit drug consignment on December 6, 2025, after the ship had fully discharged its cargo.
Following the discovery, a total of 21 crew members of different nationalities, including citizens of Russia, the Philippines, Ukraine, and Azerbaijan, were taken into custody alongside the seized drugs.
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In line with international maritime and legal protocols, the NDLEA on Friday, December 12, 2025, 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 criminal charges.
In her ruling, the judge granted the application, ordering the detention of the vessel and crew for an initial period of 14 days.
“An order of court is hereby made extending the detention of the vessel MV San Antonio being investigated by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for fourteen days in the first instance following the seizure of 25.5 kilograms of cocaine aboard the said vessel on 6th December 2025 at Apapa seaport, Lagos,” the court ruled, adjourning the matter to December 29, 2025.
Among those detained is the vessel’s master, Trofymov Oleksandr, alongside 20 other crew members whose identities were disclosed by the agency.
The latest interception comes barely weeks after NDLEA operatives seized 20 kilograms of cocaine hidden beneath the cargo of another Brazil-bound vessel, MV Nord Bosporus, at the same Apapa seaport on November 16, 2025, highlighting a growing pattern of drug trafficking attempts through maritime routes from South America.
Reacting to the development, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), said the seizure reinforces the agency’s zero-tolerance stance against international drug cartels.
“This operation is a clear message to drug trafficking syndicates and their collaborators that Nigeria will not be a safe haven for illicit drug operations,” Marwa said. He commended officers of the Apapa Strategic Command for their consistent successes and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to working with both local and international partners to combat drug trafficking and substance abuse in Nigeria.
The NDLEA stated that investigations are ongoing and that formal charges will be filed upon completion of preliminary inquiries.
NDLEA Secures Court Order to Detain Brazilian Vessel, Captain, 20 Crew Over ₦25.5kg Cocaine Seizure at Apapa Port