On Wednesday, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) uncovered and dismantled a major transnational methamphetamine production syndicate allegedly operated by a Nigerian drug cartel in collaboration with Mexican nationals.
New Telegraph gathered that the operation led to the arrest of 10 suspects and the recovery of illicit drugs and precursor chemicals valued at over N480 billion.
Confirming the development during a media briefing in Abuja, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the agency, Buba Marwa, described the discovery as the largest clandestine methamphetamine laboratory ever uncovered in Nigeria.
According to him, the laboratory was hidden inside the Abidagba forest in Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State and allegedly operated by the Anochili Innocent Drug Trafficking Organisation.
Marwa said the operation, executed simultaneously in Ogun and Lagos states on May 16, followed months of intelligence gathering by the agency’s Special Operations Unit.
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He said, “Through a clinical, simultaneous operation executed by the elite operatives of our Special Operations Unit, we have successfully dismantled a sophisticated, transnational methamphetamine production syndicate run jointly by a Nigerian drug cartel and their Mexican counterparts.
“This network did not just traffic drugs; they were actively manufacturing industrial-scale quantities of highly lethal illicit substances right on our soil.”
The NDLEA boss disclosed that seven suspects, including three Mexican nationals allegedly brought into Nigeria to produce methamphetamine, were arrested at the forest laboratory.
The foreign suspects were identified as Martinez Felix Nemecto, Jesus López Valles and Torrero Juan Carlos.
The Nigerian suspects arrested at the site included Nwankwo Sunday Christian, Igwe Abuchi Remijus, Ifeanyichukwu Chibuike Joshua and Egwuonwu Uchenna Victor.
Marwa added that operatives later arrested the alleged kingpin of the cartel, Anochili Innocent, at his residence in the Lakowe area of Lekki, Lagos.
According to him, passports and mobile phones belonging to the Mexican suspects were recovered from the residence, linking the suspect directly to their activities in Nigeria.
He further disclosed that another suspect, Kingsley Orike Omonughwa, was arrested during follow-up operations carried out on May 18 at another property linked to the syndicate.
The agency also raided the residence of another suspect, Emeka Nwobum, which investigators described as a stash house for the cartel.
Marwa stated that the operation resulted in the seizure of 2,419.48 kilograms of methamphetamine and precursor chemicals.
“The operation yielded a massive 2,419.48 kilograms of chemical materials, including highly toxic, volatile, and crystallised methamphetamine worth $362,922,000 in the international market. This translates to over N480bn,” he said.
He added that security operatives also recovered vehicles allegedly used by the syndicate, including a Toyota Tacoma and a Toyota Highlander.
“To put this in perspective, the 2,419.48 kilograms of finished and liquid methamphetamine seized represents millions of street doses that would have flooded our local communities and international markets, causing untold destruction, psychosis, and violence,” Marwa stated.
The NDLEA chairman warned that the agency would continue to intensify operations against drug cartels and their foreign collaborators.
“We are fully aware of the shifting tactics of these cartels, including the disturbing trend of hiring South American cartel specialists to set up production factories in our rural communities,” he said.
He also urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities in their communities, noting that the meth laboratory
in Ogun operated under the guise of a regular farm.
