A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the continued detention of the vessel MV San Antonio and its 21 crew members for a further 14 days following allegations that the ship smuggled 25.5 kilogrammes of cocaine into Nigeria.
The ruling was delivered on Monday after the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency sought additional time to conclude investigations into the alleged trafficking operation. The vessel was initially intercepted by the Nigeria Customs Service on December 6, 2025, shortly after it berthed at the Apapa Port in Lagos, having arrived from Brazil.
Customs officers reportedly uncovered the suspected cocaine hidden within a bulk consignment of sugar aboard the ship.
Following the discovery, the vessel and its crew were handed over to the NDLEA for further investigation and possible prosecution. Those detained include the ship’s master, Trofymov Oleksandr, alongside 20 other crew members of various nationalities.
Justice Friday Ogazi had earlier granted the NDLEA an ex parte order on December 12, authorising the detention of the vessel and crew for an initial 14-day period.
At the resumed hearing, counsel to the agency, Kunle Adebajo, informed the court that a fresh application had been filed to extend the remand, citing the complexity of the case and the need to finalise ongoing investigations.
The NDLEA told the court that its application was backed by an affidavit sworn to by Fatogun Thompson, which revealed that investigations had uncovered links to some Nigerians allegedly connected to the drug trafficking network. The agency urged the court to allow more time to unravel the full scope of the operation.
In his ruling, Justice Ogazi agreed with the submission of the NDLEA, stating that the application had merit and granting the extension as requested.
The case was adjourned to January 13, when the agency is expected to update the court on the progress of its investigations.