Maritime Security and Safety
Court Convicts 10 Filipino Sailors, Vessel MV Nord Bosporus in $6m Cocaine Bust at Apapa Port
Court Convicts 10 Filipino Sailors, Vessel MV Nord Bosporus in $6m Cocaine Bust at Apapa Port
By Okeoghene Onoriobe | News Correspondent, Waterways News | Lagos
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has secured the conviction of ten Filipino sailors and their merchant vessel, MV Nord Bosporus, following the seizure of 20 kilograms of cocaine smuggled through the Apapa Seaport in Lagos. Total penalties handed down by the court amount to six million dollars and N1.1 million.
NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, confirmed the development in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday.
Babafemi recalled that the sailors and their vessel were arrested on November 16, 2025, after NDLEA operatives from the Apapa Strategic Command uncovered the cocaine concealed deep within the ship’s cargo. MV Nord Bosporus had sailed in from Santos, Brazil.
Reacting to the judgment, NDLEA Chairman, retired Brigadier-General Buba Marwa, described the conviction as a landmark victory for Nigeria’s anti-narcotics campaign and a firm warning to the global shipping community.
“Let this judgment be an unambiguous signal to every shipping line, vessel owner and sailor worldwide — if you turn your ships into floating warehouses for illicit drugs, you will not only lose your freedom but also your assets,” Marwa said.
Vessel MV Nord Bosporus
The NDLEA boss stressed that the agency had moved beyond seizures alone, now targeting the financial base and operational assets of drug syndicates. He said the six-million-dollar fine sent a stark message to international cartels and their local collaborators that Nigeria’s territorial waters were no longer open for the narcotics trade.
Marwa drew a direct link between this conviction and the earlier prosecution of MV Chayanee Naree, saying the back-to-back outcomes demonstrated that the agency’s strategic pressure on maritime drug routes was yielding concrete results.
“Our intelligence networks are getting wider, our technology sharper, and our resolve is unbreakable,”
He commended officers of the Apapa Strategic Command for detecting the concealed consignment, praised the Directorate of Prosecution and Legal Services for their handling of the case, and acknowledged the judiciary for the accelerated hearing process.
“Our intelligence networks are getting wider, our technology sharper, and our resolve is unbreakable,” Marwa said, reaffirming the agency’s commitment to the fight against drug trafficking as a matter of national security and the protection of Nigeria’s youth.