NDLEA DISMANTLES INDUSTRIAL-SCALE METH LAB IN OYO FOREST; ARRESTS MEXICAN CARTEL EXPERT, FOUR NIGERIANS

NDLEA DISMANTLES INDUSTRIAL-SCALE METH LAB IN OYO FOREST; ARRESTS MEXICAN CARTEL EXPERT, FOUR NIGERIANS

By Jennifer Nwosu 

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded another major breakthrough in its' war against illicit drugs with the discovery and dismantling of a fortified industrial-scale methamphetamine laboratory hidden deep inside a forest in Tapa Village, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State.

In a statement released by the Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the agency disclosed that the operation represents one of the most significant strikes against transnational drug syndicates in recent months. The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), described the discovery as further proof of the agency’s growing intelligence capabilities and commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks wherever they operate.

The latest discovery comes barely four weeks after NDLEA operatives uncovered and destroyed another large clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in a forest in Ijebu East, Ogun State, raising concerns over attempts by drug cartels to establish the Southwest as a major hub for synthetic drug production.

According to details presented by the agency at a press briefing in Abuja, tactical operatives stormed the heavily fortified facility on June 17th following extensive intelligence gathering and surveillance. Five suspects were arrested during the raid, including 56-year-old Mexican methamphetamine specialist Jose Villa Ochoa, who was allegedly recruited to provide technical expertise for large-scale drug production.

The four Nigerian collaborators arrested alongside him were identified as Maxwell Uche Nevoh (30), Olatunji Yusuf (37), Bankole Akeem Owolabi (45) and Ganiu Monsiu (43).

NDLEA forensic experts who examined the site discovered a fully operational factory stocked with industrial quantities of precursor chemicals and sophisticated processing equipment used in methamphetamine production. Recovered items included large volumes of Phenyl-2-Propanone (P2P), Phenylacetic Acid, Sulphuric Acid, Tartaric Acid, Caustic Soda and other chemicals essential for meth synthesis.

Operatives also recovered reactor pots, distillation units, mixers, condensers, vegetable dehydrators and other industrial machinery used in the manufacturing process. Field tests conducted by NDLEA forensic analysts confirmed that crystalline substances recovered from the laboratory tested positive for methamphetamine, while other samples tested positive for precursor compounds used in producing the illicit drug.

The agency said all exhibits have been safely evacuated, documented and preserved for prosecution purposes. Officials noted that the laboratory represented a multi-billion-naira investment capable of producing massive quantities of methamphetamine for distribution within Nigeria and across international markets.

Marwa said the arrest of a foreign cartel specialist highlights the transnational nature of the threat posed by organized drug trafficking networks. He noted that the proximity of the Oyo laboratory to the similar facility recently dismantled in Ogun State suggests a coordinated effort by criminal groups to establish a synthetic drug manufacturing corridor in the Southwest region.

The NDLEA chairman reiterated the agency’s determination to pursue drug cartels wherever they operate and dismantle every layer of their criminal infrastructure. He also commended officers of the Oyo State Command for their professionalism, courage and dedication throughout the operation, while appreciating members of the public whose intelligence contributed to the successful raid.