According to reports from local relevant authorities in Nigeria, Nigerian drug enforcement officials seized a Panama-flagged vessel at the main port in Lagos, intercepting approximately 20 kilograms of high-purity cocaine. Twenty Filipino seafarers on board were arrested.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) confirmed that the contraband was concealed beneath a shipment of coal, which was typically transported from Brazil to Colombia.
Currently, all 20 Filipino crew members have been detained by Nigerian authorities, and the investigation is still ongoing.
Nigeria has been recognized as a major transit point for drug smuggling to Europe and other African countries. This seizure highlights the region’s ongoing sustained efforts to combat drug trafficking.
Earlier this month, officials from the Nigerian drug enforcement agency announced a successful operation in cooperation with anti-drug agencies from the United States and the United Kingdom, targeting a drug trafficking syndicate linked to the seizure of 1,000 kilograms of cocaine inside a container at the port of Lagos.
This incident coincides with the United States increasing its efforts to combat drug traffickers in the Caribbean region. US President Trump recently deployed additional military forces to curb drug trafficking originating from Latin American countries such as Venezuela and Mexico.
The investigation into the ship’s voyage from Brazil to Lagos and how such a large quantity of drugs was concealed within other cargo continues.
Compiled by Shipping Online.
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