Foreigners arrested for allegedly trying to traffick cocai*ne into Nigeria via the sea

The Nigerian Navy on Thursday said it has arrested 22 Thai seafarers over alleged attempt to traffick 32.9kg of c*caine from Brazil into the 

shores of Nigeria.

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The seafarers who are currently being detained at the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT, Apapa, Lagos, were arrested on-board MV CHAYANEE NAREE, by a joint team led by the Nigerian Navy following an intelligence report from the UK Border Force

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Addressing journalists on the arrest, the commander of NNS BEECROFT, Commodore Bashir Mohammed, said the sting operation was a collaborative effort between the Nigerian Navy and other law enforcement agencies.

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Commodore Mohammed said the team, acting on credible intelligence from INTERPOL, it was discovered that the vessel departed Santos Brazil on September 19, 2021 and drifted for a week at a position about 250nm (approximately 500 kilometres) off the coast of Benin Republic from October 1 to October 8 before sailing and arriving Nigerian coastal water on October 8, 2021.

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“The search began on October 9, 2021 and at about 6pm on October 13, 2021, efforts of the search team was rewarded when a bag was found in the Vessel’s Cargo Compartment One (VCCO).

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However, tests conducted on the contents of the bag by the NDLEA confirmed the substance to be c*caine wrapped in 30 slabs weighing 32.9 kg.

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Accordingly, the substance was handed over to the NDLEA while further search and investigation continued on every nook and cranny of the vessel,” he said. [Swipe]