Five Arrested as NDLEA Dismantles Meth Lab in Oyo State

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has found a secret methamphetamine lab worth billions of naira in Oyo State. Five people were arrested, including a Mexican man hired to provide technical help for this illegal operation.

Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), the NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, shared this news on Wednesday during a press conference in Abuja. He called the discovery a big win in the agency’s fight against drug trafficking and production.

Marwa, represented by the agency's spokesperson Femi Babafemi, said the lab is located deep in a forest in Tapa Village, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State. The NDLEA raided the place on June 17 based on reliable intelligence.

He said, "Today, we are proud to announce that our operatives, acting on zero-shot, credible intelligence, have struck another decisive blow deeper into the heart of yet another cartel."

The NDLEA chief named the suspects as 56-year-old Mexican meth expert Jose Villa Ochoa and four Nigerians: 30-year-old Maxwell Nevoh, 37-year-old Olatunji Yusuf, 45-year-old Bankole Owolabi, and 43-year-old Ganiu Monsiu.

Marwa mentioned that the arrest of a foreign suspect shows the international side of the drug trade. He said, "The arrest of a foreign cartel specialist on Nigerian soil highlights the transnational nature of this threat, but more importantly, it highlights our agency’s world-class intelligence capability to track, intercept and neutralise them."

He revealed that forensic experts who checked the lab after the raid found what he called "a massive factory-level production line of poison."

According to him, the lab was filled with large amounts of precursor chemicals, industrial catalysts, and equipment used to make methamphetamine. Some of the items seized included drums containing phenyl-2-propanone, phenylacetic acid, crystalline substances believed to be methamphetamine, caustic soda, sulphuric acid, and other chemicals.

He said, "The laboratory was fully stocked with a frightening array of precursor chemicals, industrial catalysts, and heavy-duty processing equipment. Chemicals and materials recovered include phenyl-2-propanone, which is the main, highly controlled precursor required for methamphetamine synthesis; 1800-litre drums containing phenylacetic acid (the primary precursor used to synthesise P2P); two 180L drums containing a staggering 300 litres of whitish crystalline substance; and four 180L drums containing dark liquid undergoing synthesis."

"Others include 101 bags (25kg each) of caustic soda; 17 containers (25L each) of sulphuric acid; 19.5 containers (25kg each) of Tartaric Acid; 5 containers of Reniso Ultracool 68 (three 50L and two 25L capacity); 25 bottles (500ml each) of 80% thioglycolic acid; 2 containers (25L each) of ethyl phenylacetate; and 25 cartons of aluminium foil."

He added, "The industrial processing equipment discovered at the site includes one reactor pot, which is the heart of the chemical synthesis; two mounted distillation units and three fabricated mixers and condensers; as well as two vegetable dehydrator machines used for the rapid drying of the crystals."

Marwa said immediate tests by forensic experts showed the presence of methamphetamine. "Samples of the finished crystals recovered yielded a definitive positive result for methamphetamine."

He assured that every gram of this substance has been safely removed, documented, and preserved for proper presentation in court.

The NDLEA chairman called the seizure another significant hit against drug gangs trying to set up production in the South-West. He said, "This is yet another multi-billion-dollar worth of illicit substances and production equipment ready to push millions of doses of synthetic drugs into our streets, our communities and the international community, but for the vigilance of our dedicated officers."

Marwa pointed out that this discovery happened just four weeks after the agency shut down another large meth lab in Ogun State. He said, "The closeness of this find to the Ogun State lab, uncovered about four weeks ago, shows a desperate attempt by drug barons to create a synthetic drug manufacturing hub in the South-West."

He warned drug traffickers and manufacturers not to use Nigeria as their base. Marwa said, "Let the message go out clearly to all drug cartels, domestic and international, that Nigeria is not and will never be a safe haven for your illicit trade."

He added, "We will find you in the cities, we will track you into the forests, and we will dismantle your infrastructure of death."

The NDLEA boss praised the officers involved in the operation, especially the Oyo State Command, for their bravery and professionalism. He also thanked the public for providing useful information that helped with the raid.

"To the Nigerian public, we say thank you for your cooperation, for your trust, and for credible information. Together, we are securing the future of our nation," he said.