Nigerian Navy arrests 22 Thai nationals for allegedly smuggling 32.9kg cocaine from Brazil into Nigeria

Twenty-two Thai citizens are being detained at the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS), BEECROFT, Apapa, Lagos, over alleged attempt to smuggle 32.9kg cocaine from Brazil to Nigeria.

The suspects, who are sailors, were arrested on-board MV CHAYANEE NAREE, following an intelligent report from the UK Border Force.

It was learnt that the cargo ship left Santos in Brazil on September 19, 2021 and the UK Border Force discovered that the vessel was heading to Nigeria.

All 22 crew man are being detained onboard the ship at the Lagos port complex while investigation continued.

Commander of NNS BEECROFT, Bashir Mohammed, told newsmen that the brief was aimed at informing the public on a development within the nation’s maritime environment that concerns a recent sting operation conducted through collaborative efforts between the Nigerian Navy and other law enforcement agencies, including the Interpol, the Nigerian Customs Services (NCS), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Mohammed said the joint security team, acting on credible intelligence from Interpol, naval officers, commenced tracking of a vessel, MV CHAYANEE NAREE, which was suspected of attempting to smuggle narcotics into Nigeria.

The Customs Area Controller, Apapa Command, Ibrahim Malanta Yusuf, said the success of the operation was as a result of the excellent synergy and collaborative efforts between the NN, Interpol Nigeria, NDLEA and the Nigeria Customs Service.