National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered what it described as the largest clandestine methamphetamine production factory ever discovered in Nigeria, arresting 10 suspects, including three Mexican nationals, over alleged drug manufacturing activities in Ogun and Lagos states.
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, disclosed this on Wednesday during a media briefing at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
Marwa said the operation led to the recovery of methamphetamine and precursor chemicals valued at about N480 billion from a hidden laboratory located in a forest in Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun.
According to him, the facility was operated by a drug syndicate identified as the Anochili Innocent Drug Trafficking Organisation (DTO).
He said the operation followed months of intelligence gathering and was executed by operatives of the agency’s Special Operations Unit in coordinated raids across Ogun and Lagos within 48 hours.
“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,” Marwa said.
He identified the Nigerian suspects arrested at the forest laboratory as Nwankwo Sunday Christian, 41; Igwe Abuchi Remijus, 42; Ifeanyichukwu Chibuike Joshua, 23; and Egwuonwu Uchenna Victor, 38.
The three Mexican nationals arrested were identified as Martinez Felix Nemecto, 46; Jesus López Valles, 40; and Torrero Juan Carlos, 51.
Marwa said another team of operatives arrested the alleged mastermind of the cartel, Anochili Innocent, at his residence in the Golf Estate area of Lakowe, Lekki, Lagos State.
According to him, investigators recovered the international passports and mobile phones of the Mexican suspects from the residence.
The NDLEA boss added that follow-up operations led to the arrest of Kingsley Orike Omonughwa, 44, at another property linked to the syndicate in Lakowe, as well as the raid of a stash house allegedly belonging to another suspect, Emeka Nwobum.
He said the arrests brought the total number of suspects in custody to 10.
Marwa disclosed that the agency’s chemical and forensic experts recovered 2,419.48 kilograms of methamphetamine and related chemicals from the laboratory.
“The operation yielded a massive 2,419.48 kilograms of chemical materials, including highly toxic and crystallised methamphetamine worth 362.9 million dollars on the international market, translating to over N480 billion,” he said.
He added that two vehicles, including a Toyota Tacoma allegedly used for operations at the laboratory and a Toyota Highlander belonging to the alleged kingpin, were also seized.
Marwa warned drug cartels operating in Nigeria that the agency would continue to intensify its crackdown on illicit drug production and trafficking networks.
“We are fully aware of the shifting tactics of these cartels, including the disturbing trend of hiring South American cartel specialists to establish production factories in our rural communities.
“No matter how deep into the bush you hide or how secure your estate is, the NDLEA will hunt you down and dismantle your network,” he said.
