- A Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted 10 Filipino sailors and their merchant vessel, MV Nord Bosporus, for smuggling 20 kilograms of cocaine into Nigeria from Brazil.
- Justice Ayokunle Faji imposed a combined financial penalty of $6 million and ₦1.1 million on the defendants following a plea bargain agreement.
- The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted the illicit cargo at the Apapa Seaport in November 2025, leading to the high-profile prosecution.
The Federal High Court in Lagos has delivered a landmark judgment against international drug trafficking, fining 10 Filipino sailors and their vessel, MV Nord Bosporus, a staggering $6 million.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the convicts were found guilty of importing 20 kilograms of cocaine, which was discovered concealed within the ship upon its arrival from Santos, Brazil, at the Apapa Seaport.
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During the proceedings on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, the sailors, Eugene Quinos Corpuz, Mark Joseph Jardiniano, Alexis Navidad Evarrola, and seven others, pleaded guilty to the charges filed by the NDLEA.
Under the terms of the court-approved plea bargain, the vessel itself was ordered to pay a penalty of ₦100,000 and restitution of $5.35 million to the Federal Government.
The court further detailed individual penalties for the crew: the three principal officers were each fined ₦100,000 and ordered to pay $100,000 in restitution.
The remaining seven crew members received fines of ₦100,000 each and were directed to pay $50,000 in restitution.
NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), hailed the conviction as a significant deterrent to global drug cartels.
“The $6 million penalty sends a strong message that Nigeria’s territorial waters are no longer safe for illicit narcotics trade,” Marwa stated.
He emphasized that the agency remains committed to protecting Nigerian youth and national security by ensuring that vessel owners who permit illegal activities face severe legal and financial consequences.
The swift handling of the case, from the November 2025 arrest to the March 2026 conviction, has been praised as a victory for the judiciary and the NDLEA’s Apapa Strategic Command.
