The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has secured a Federal High Court order in Lagos authorising the continued detention of a merchant vessel, its captain and 20 other crew members after operatives uncovered 25.5 kilograms of cocaine at the Apapa seaport.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said the court order followed the discovery of the illicit drug aboard the commodity vessel, MV San Anthonio, which sailed into Nigeria from Brazil on December 6, 2025.
Babafemi explained that the seizure was the result of actionable intelligence, which led NDLEA officers to cocaine concealed within the vessel’s hatch.
He said the drugs were recovered after the ship had completely discharged its cargo, after which all 21 crew members, drawn from different countries, were taken into custody for investigation.
He noted that the latest interception mirrors an earlier operation at the Apapa port on November 16, when NDLEA operatives intercepted another Brazil-bound vessel, MV Nord Bosporus, arriving from the port of Santos with about 20 kilograms of cocaine hidden beneath its cargo.
Among those detained are the ship’s master, Trofymov Oleksandr, alongside other crew members identified as Stoychev Sergiy, Bobrov Maksim, Stupnytsky Sergiy, Bitinev Aleksei, Novruzov Teymur, Sosnov Oleg, Bondar Ihor, Klymenko Oleh, Cala Michael De Jesus, Jamir Julfikhar Jacusalem, Blanco Crus Veloso, Fajardo Ronnel Luntaao, Gumela Lolito Jr. Serojano, Toston Romulo Jr. Oling, Smirnov Viacheslav, Gorre Mar Kemmeth Tabudlong, Cruz John Vhoie Glavez, Sablan Jamille Alorro, Abesia Kelvin Belarmino and Ubay Kenneth Biaoco.
Babafemi said that, in line with international maritime and legal procedures, the NDLEA on December 12 filed an ex parte motion in suit number FHC/L/MISC/1408/2025 before Justice Frida Nkemakonam Ogazi of the Federal High Court, Lagos, seeking permission to detain the vessel and its crew pending the conclusion of investigations and the filing of formal charges.
Granting the application, the court ordered that MV San Anthonio and the 21 crew members be held for an initial period of 14 days following the seizure of the cocaine at the Apapa seaport.
The judge further adjourned the case to December 29, 2025, for further proceedings.
Reacting to the development, the Chairman of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), said the successful operation reaffirmed the agency’s resolve to deny international drug syndicates and their local accomplices any operational base in Nigeria.
NDLEA secures court order to detain vessel, crew over N25.5kg cocaine seizure at Lagos port
