The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered and dismantled a large-scale clandestine methamphetamine laboratory hidden in a forest at Tapa Village, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State, arresting a Mexican national and four Nigerians suspected to be members of an international drug cartel.
The operation marks another major breakthrough in the agency’s fight against synthetic drug production, coming barely a month after a similar methamphetamine laboratory was destroyed in a forest in Ijebu East, Ogun State.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), represented by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, described the operation as a significant blow against transnational drug trafficking networks.
According to Marwa, NDLEA tactical operatives stormed the heavily fortified facility on June 17, 2026, following intelligence gathering and surveillance.
He disclosed that five suspected cartel members were arrested during the raid, including 56-year-old Mexican national Jose Villa Ochoa, identified as a methamphetamine production specialist allegedly brought into Nigeria to oversee large-scale drug manufacturing.
The other suspects arrested are Maxwell Uche Nevoh, 30; Olatunji Yusuf, 37; Bankole Akeem Owolabi, 45; and Ganiu Monsiu, 43, all believed to have provided logistics, operational support and local cover for the illicit operation.
Marwa said the arrest of a foreign drug expert highlights the international dimension of drug trafficking activities in Nigeria and demonstrates the agency’s growing intelligence and enforcement capabilities.
Following the raid, forensic and chemical monitoring experts from the NDLEA conducted an extensive examination of the laboratory on June 18. Investigators discovered what officials described as a factory-scale production facility equipped with large quantities of precursor chemicals and industrial-grade processing equipment used in methamphetamine production.
Among the items recovered were large volumes of Phenyl-2-Propanone (P2P), a key ingredient used in methamphetamine synthesis, several drums containing phenylacetic acid, drums filled with crystalline substances and chemical mixtures undergoing processing, as well as more than 100 bags of caustic soda.
Other materials recovered included sulphuric acid, tartaric acid, thioglycolic acid, ethyl phenylacetate, industrial cooling agents and dozens of cartons of aluminium foil.
The agency also seized sophisticated production equipment, including a reactor pot, mounted distillation units, mixers, condensers and vegetable dehydrator machines used in the drying process of methamphetamine crystals.
Preliminary field tests carried out by NDLEA forensic experts confirmed that samples recovered from the facility tested positive for methamphetamine. Additional tests also verified the presence of phenylacetic acid, a critical precursor chemical in the drug manufacturing process.
The agency said all exhibits and equipment recovered from the site have been documented, secured and preserved for presentation as evidence during prosecution.
Marwa noted that the latest discovery, alongside the recent Ogun State laboratory bust, indicates an attempt by drug cartels to establish the South-West region as a major hub for synthetic drug production.
He warned that NDLEA would continue to track and dismantle drug manufacturing operations across the country, regardless of where they are located.
“Nigeria will never become a safe haven for drug cartels. Whether they operate in cities or hide deep inside forests, we will find them and destroy their operations,” he said.
The NDLEA chairman commended officers of the Oyo State Command for their courage and professionalism during the operation and also appreciated members of the public for providing credible information that supports the agency’s anti-drug efforts.
He reiterated the agency’s commitment to protecting communities from the dangers posed by illicit drugs and disrupting criminal networks involved in their production and distribution.
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