A Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted 10 Thai sailors and their vessel, MV Chayanee Naree, for trafficking 32.9 kilograms of cocaine from Brazil into Nigeria through the Apapa seaport, Lagos. The convicted sailors are Krilerk Tanakhan, Boonlert Hansoongnern, Jakkarin Booncharoen, Thammarong Put-tlek, Worrapat Paopinta, Marut Kantaprom, Werapat Somboonying, Urkit Amsri, Panudet Jaisuk, and Amrat Thawom.

Director, Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, reported that the sailors were arrested on October 13, 2021, alongside nine Nigerian suspects. Babafemi said the vessel and sailors were arraigned before the court in February 2022 on offenses bordering on conspiracy and unlawful transportation of the illicit drug consignment. “The court ruling was a strong message to the international drug cartel and their local collaborators that Nigeria will never be a safe hub for illicit drug trafficking,” NDLEA Chairman, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa, said in a statement. Marwa commended the NDLEA prosecution team and officers of the Apapa Strategic Command involved in the arrest, seizure, and investigation of the shipment for their diligence and resilience.

The court ordered the vessel to pay a fine of $4 million or its Naira equivalent. The 2nd to 11th defendants were convicted under section 25 of the NDLEA Act and ordered to pay fines ranging from N100,000 to $50,000 each, bringing the total amount payable to $4,360,000. Marwa charged the officers not to relent in pursuing the other part of the case still pending. The trial of the nine Nigerian suspects was adjourned to June 25.

Marwa said, “The court ruling was a strong message to the international drug cartel and their local collaborators that Nigeria will never be a safe hub for illicit drug trafficking.” He commended the NDLEA prosecution team and officers involved in the case for their diligence and resilience. The NDLEA Chairman emphasized that the agency would continue to pursue the case to its logical conclusion.