NDLEA arrests 2 Mexicans, dismantles meth lab in Ebonyi

NDLEA arrests 2 Mexicans, dismantles meth lab in Ebonyi

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has dismantled an “industrial-scale” methamphetamine laboratory in Ebonyi state.

Methamphetamine is a powerful, highly addictive synthetic stimulant that speeds up the central nervous system and increases energy, heart rate, and brain activity.

Speaking on Tuesday in Lagos, Buba Marwa, chairman of the agency said a “Mexican drug kingpin” who was attempting to flee the country through the Lagos airport was also apprehended.

Marwa, who was represented by Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA director of media and advocacy, said the arrested Mexican is a kingpin in a transnational drug cartel.

Marwa said the arrest of Arturo Carrera Loaiza followed months of investigation into a network allegedly behind clandestine methamphetamine laboratories uncovered in different parts of the country.

He said NDLEA operatives arrested Loaiza on August 19 while he was attempting to flee Nigeria through the Lagos airport.

According to Marwa, investigations into the June 17 arrest of Jose Villa Ochoa, a 56-year-old Mexican methamphetamine expert, at a clandestine laboratory in Tapa village, Ibarapa north LGA of Oyo state, linked him to Loaiza.

Marwa said Ochoa identified Loaiza as the Mexican national who recruited and brought him to Nigeria.

He said intelligence gathered in collaboration with international partners established that Loaiza entered Nigeria on June 10 alongside another Mexican national, Jose Ceballos Perez.

Marwa said Loaiza initially told investigators that he was invited to Nigeria by a Nigerian contact identified only as “Henry” for a restaurant business and denied knowledge of methamphetamine production.

According to the him, investigators recovered photographs showing Loaiza wearing a blue laboratory coat and standing among equipment consistent with methamphetamine production.

“However, our findings told a different story. Investigators recovered images of Arturo dressed in a blue laboratory coat, standing amid equipment consistent with methamphetamine production. Analysis of the location metadata embedded in these images led our operatives to a property undergoing construction at Isiata Ugoni Okposi, Ebonyi state,” Marwa said.

“A CCTV memory card recovered from the property proved decisive. Forensic review of the footage showed a foreign national in a blue laboratory coat on the premises, matching the image of Arturo Carrera Loaiza earlier recovered, as well as repeated appearances by John Samuel Ivo Okike. Critically, the footage captured, at about 9:00 p.m. on 21st August 2026, the movement of chemicals and laboratory equipment out of the property, with John Samuel Ivo Okike seen directing the operation alongside others assisting in the relocation.”

He said further intelligence led operatives to an isolated house in a neighbouring community where the materials had allegedly been moved and were being kept by Nwanja Obasi.

He noted that the NDLEA, further led to the recovery of methamphetamine-related chemicals, laboratory equipment and other paraphernalia.

“A dehydrator containing a white cloth sieve embedded with loose methamphetamine, and three additional empty dehydrators; 442.8 kg of Acetone, 37.1 kg of Toluene, a 20 kg mixture of Acetone/Bromobenzene, 1.7 kg of Ethanol, 5.1 kg of Chloride Salt, 31.5 kg of Hydrochloric acid, 200 kg of P2B, and 1 kg of Tartaric acid; Condensing units, a condenser head, a condenser, and a fabricated reaction pot,” Marwa said.

In June, the NDLEA dismantled a large-scale clandestine methamphetamine production facility hidden in a forest in Oyo state.

The agency said the laboratory, located in Tapa village, Ibarapa-north LGA, was discovered during a raid conducted by its tactical operatives.