10 Filipino Sailors, Ship Sentenced For Trafficking 20kg+ Of Cocaine

According to Ireporter Online, a Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted 10 Filipino sailors and their merchant vessel, MV Nord Bosporus, imposing a total fine of Six Million US Dollars ($6 million) and an additional penalty of One Million One Hundred Thousand Naira (₦1.1 million).

The ruling follows their arrest by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for importing 20 kilograms of cocaine from Santos, Brazil, through Apapa seaport in Lagos on 16th November 2025. The seizure prompted a four-count criminal charge (suit number FHC/L/1232C/25) filed by NDLEA prosecutors led by Theresa Asuquo, Director of Prosecution and Legal Services.

The sailors, identified as 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, entered a guilty plea and reached a plea bargain with the court.

Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court 2, Lagos, found MV Nord Bosporus guilty under Section 25 of the NDLEA Act. The vessel was ordered to pay ₦100,000 and restitution of $5.35 million, while the three principal officers were fined ₦100,000 each with $100,000 restitution each. The remaining seven sailors were fined ₦100,000 each and required to pay $50,000 each in restitution.

The total financial penalty imposed on the vessel and its crew now stands at $6 million and ₦1.1 million.

NDLEA Chairman, Mohamed Buba Marwa, described the verdict as a clear message to drug cartels and their collaborators, emphasizing that Nigeria’s territorial waters will no longer serve as conduits for illicit drug trafficking. He hailed the conviction as a victory for the rule of law and commended NDLEA officers and the judiciary for their prompt and diligent handling of the case. Marwa stressed that the agency’s focus now extends beyond seizures to targeting the financial and operational assets of drug syndicates, reinforcing Nigeria’s commitment to protecting its youth and national security.