San-Antonio

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has secured a Federal High Court order in Lagos to detain the San Antonio' and its 21 crew members following the seizure of 25.5 kilograms of cocaine at the Apapa Port, Lagos. In line with international legal procedures, the NDLEA on Dec 12 filed an ex parte application before Justice Frida Nkemakonam Ogazi of the Federal High Court, Lagos, seeking an order to detain the vessel and crew pending the conclusion of investigations and the filing of charges. Granting the application, the judge ordered the detention of the 'San Antonio' and its crew for 14 days in the first instance, citing the seizure of the cocaine aboard the vessel. The drugs had been concealed in the hatch of the ship when it arrived from Santos, and was discovered by NDLEA operatives on Dec 6. After the vessel fully discharged its cargo, the captain Trofymov Oleksandr, and 20 other crew members of different nationalities, including Russians, Filipinos, Ukrainians and Azerbaijanis, were taken into NDLEA custody along with the seized drugs. They were identified as Stoychev Sergiy, Bobrov Maksim, Stupnytsky Sergiy, Bitinev Aleksei, Novruzov Teymur, Sosnov Oleg, Bondar Ihor, Klymenko Oleh, Cala Michael De Jesus, Jamir Julfikhar Jacusalem, Blanco Crus Veloso, Fajardo Ronnel Luntaao, Gumela Lolito Jr. Serojano, Toston Romulo Jr. Oling, Smirnov Viacheslav, Gorre Mar Kemmeth Tabudlong, Cruz John Vhoie Glavez, Sablan Jamille Alorro, Abesia Kelvin Belarmino and Ubay Kenneth Biaoco. This came barely weeks after NDLEA officers uncovered another cocaine shipment weighing about 20 kilograms aboard the 'Nord Bosporus', which had sailed from the port of Santos and was intercepted at the Apapa Seaport on Nov 16.

The Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), on Dec 6, 2025, announced the discovery and detention of the 'San Antonio' at the Apapa port in Lagos, over the shipment of cocaine weighing 25.5kg. The illicit drugs, packaged in 24 parcels/slabs, were hidden in five bags found aboard the ship during Customs intelligence-led checks. Customs intelligence had discovered that upon the departure of the vessel from Brazi it had called at ports in Honduras, Guatemala and other places suspected to be hubs for illicit drug trade. While handing over the seized drugs to the NDLEA for further action, the Apapa Customs Area Controller also announced the detention of the vessel.

On Aug 28, 2019, around 10 a.m. the 'San Antonio', enroute from Savannah to Ghent, ran aground in the Western foreport of Terneuzen and got stuck on the Eastern harbor dam. Various tugs, including the 'ST Annastrand', 'Union Emerald', 'Union Ruby', 'Multratug 1' and 'Multratug 28', were called to assist and have pulled the ship back to deeper water smoothly within half an hour. It was then towed to the Everingen Anchorage at the Put van Terneuzen where it was moored in pos. 51° 23.87' N 003° 45.28' E for inspections. The bulkcarrier finally berthed at the coal terminal in Ghent on Aug 29 at 7.50 p.m. after inspections off Flushing were completed. It sailed again from the port on Sep 4, bound for Ust-Luga, ETA Sep 8. Dutch report with photos: https://www.tugspotters.com/app/content/2019/08/slepers-trekken-bulkcarrier-san-antonio-van-havendam-te-terneuzen/