Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have uncovered and dismantled a large-scale methamphetamine production facility hidden inside a forest in Oyo State, arresting a Mexican national and four Nigerians linked to the operation.
The agency described the facility as a sophisticated drug manufacturing site allegedly run by a Nigerian-Mexican cartel, raising fresh concerns about efforts by criminal networks to establish drug production hubs in Southwest Nigeria.
According to the NDLEA, the operation was carried out in Tapa Village, Ibarapa North Local Government Area, where officers raided the forest location and apprehended five suspects.
“The arrest of a foreign cartel specialist highlights the transnational nature of the threat,” the agency said.
Among those arrested was Jose Villa Ochoa, a 56-year-old Mexican national allegedly brought into Nigeria to provide technical expertise for large-scale meth production.
The NDLEA said the facility contained huge quantities of chemicals, industrial equipment and precursor substances used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.
Forensic experts who examined the site reportedly confirmed that substances recovered during the operation tested positive for methamphetamine and related chemicals used in its production.
Officials described the laboratory as a factory-scale operation capable of producing massive quantities of illicit drugs for local and international distribution.
The agency noted that the latest discovery comes only weeks after another meth laboratory was dismantled in Ogun State, suggesting that drug cartels may be attempting to establish a strong presence in the region.
NDLEA Chairman Mohamed Buba Marwa praised the officers involved in the operation and warned criminal networks that Nigeria would not become a safe haven for drug trafficking and illegal drug production.
The agency also thanked members of the public for providing useful information that contributed to the success of the operation.
Source: NDLEA
