Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted 20 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside a cargo ship at Apapa Port, Lagos.
The vessel, MV Nord Bosporus (IMO 9760110), was en route to Brazil when it made a suspicious stop in Nigeria its very first visit to any African port.
Captain and 19 Crew Members Arrested
All 20 crew members, including the ship’s master, Captain Quino Eugene Corpus, are Filipino nationals. They were taken into custody immediately after the discovery on Sunday, 16 November.
On Thursday, Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court in Lagos granted NDLEA’s request to detain the vessel and the entire crew for 14 days pending further investigation.
A Ship with a Strange New Route
Investigators found it highly unusual that a ship that had only carried coal between Colombia and Brazil for years suddenly sailed to Nigeria under a captain who had been in charge for just three months.
NDLEA Boss Sends Strong Warning
NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), commended the Apapa command and issued a direct message to drug cartels:
“Nigeria will never be your playground. No matter how clever you think you are, our officers are smarter and always one step ahead.”
Part of a Bigger Crackdown
This is the second major cocaine seizure at Apapa in 2025. In May, a Thai vessel (MV Chayanee Naree) was hit with a $4.3 million fine after 32.9 kg of cocaine was found on board.
Since 2023, NDLEA has seized over 207 tons of hard drugs at Nigeria’s seaports alone.
The message from Apapa is clear: any ship, any route, any trick Nigeria’s ports are watching.
Larry Summers Resigns from OpenAI and Harvard Over Epstein Emails
