Lagos court allows NDLEA to hold vessel and crew over cocaine seizure
A Federal High Court in Lagos has permitted the NDLEA to detain a merchant vessel and its 21 foreign crew members after 25.5kg of cocaine was found at Apapa Seaport. The vessel, MV San Antonio, reportedly arrived from Brazil on December 6, 2025. The court order, issued on December 12, 2025, allows the NDLEA to hold the vessel and crew for 14 days pending further investigation. NDLEA Chairman Mohamed Buba Marwa praised the agency’s efforts against international drug trafficking.
What happened
- The NDLEA discovered 25.5kg of cocaine hidden in the MV San Antonio at Apapa Seaport on December 6, 2025.
- A total of 21 crew members, including the vessel’s captain Trofymov Oleksandr, were detained after the cargo was unloaded.
- The Federal High Court, presided by Justice Frida Nkemakonam Ogazi, granted a 14-day detention order on December 12, 2025.
- This seizure follows a similar incident on November 16, 2025, involving another vessel from Brazil with 20kg of cocaine.
- NDLEA Chairman Mohamed Buba Marwa commended the Apapa team and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to fighting drug trafficking.
