Federal High Court Convicts 10 Filipino Sailors and Merchant Vessel for Cocaine Importation
In a landmark ruling, Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted ten Filipino sailors and their merchant vessel, MV Nord Bosporus, for trafficking 20 kilograms of cocaine into Nigeria. The conviction follows a plea bargain entered by the defendants, who faced a four-count criminal charge prosecuted by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Details of the Conviction and Penalties
The judge imposed a substantial fine of $6 million, along with an additional penalty of N1.1 million, for the drug trafficking offence. The vessel, MV Nord Bosporus, was found guilty under Section 25 of the NDLEA Act and ordered to pay a penalty of N100,000, plus a restitution of $5,350,000 to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The three principal officers of the vessel, identified as the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th defendants in the case, were each convicted and required to pay N100,000 as well as a restitution of $100,000 each. The remaining seven sailors, listed as the 5th to 11th defendants, were also convicted and must pay N100,000 each, along with a restitution of $50,000 each. This cumulative financial burden totals $6 million and N1.1 million in restitution and penalties, respectively.
Arrest and Prosecution Background
The conviction comes four months after the arrest of the vessel and its crew by NDLEA operatives. The arrest occurred on November 16, 2025, following the seizure of 20kg of cocaine hidden within the cargo of MV Nord Bosporus at the Apapa seaport in Lagos. The cocaine was imported from Santos, Brazil, into Nigeria.
The prosecution was led by a team from the NDLEA, under the direction of the Director of Prosecution and Legal Services, Theresa Asuquo. The defendants, including Eugene Quinos Corpuz, Mark Joseph Jardiniano, Alexis Navidad Evarrola, Francis Gerard Niones Carpio, Franz Jude Mayran, Mahinay Junniel Lagura, Mario Ganiban Malvar, Hormachuelos Lordito Guivencan, Joshua Emmanuel Hufanda, and Edwin Baltazar Reyes, opted to plead guilty and enter a plea bargain, leading to the accelerated hearing and conviction.
NDLEA's Response and Broader Implications
In response to the judgment, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brigadier-General Mohammed Buba Marwa (retired), hailed the conviction as a significant victory for the rule of law. He emphasized that it demonstrates the renewed vigor of the agency in its mission to eradicate illicit drugs from Nigeria.
Marwa stated, "The imposition of a $6 million fine serves as a stark, expensive lesson to international drug cartels and their local collaborators that Nigeria's territorial waters are no longer a playground for the illicit narcotics trade." He commended the officers of the Apapa Strategic Command for their vigilance in detecting the concealed cocaine consignment and noted that this success, along with similar cases like the MV Chayanee Naree conviction, indicates that the agency's 'back-to-back' strategy is yielding concrete results.
He further expressed appreciation for the diligence of the Directorate of Prosecution and Legal Services and thanked the judiciary for the expedited handling of the case. Marwa reinforced the agency's unwavering resolve, saying, "We are not just fighting a crime; we are defending the future of our youth and the security of our nation. In doing this, our intelligence networks are getting wider, our technology sharper, and our resolve is unbreakable."
This case underscores the NDLEA's ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking through rigorous enforcement and legal prosecution, sending a clear message to criminal networks operating within and beyond Nigeria's borders.
