Wednesday, June 24, 2026 - Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have discovered a fortified, industrial-scale clandestine methamphetamine laboratory operated by a Nigerian-Mexican cartel deep within the forest of Tapa Village, Ibarapa North Local Government Area, Oyo State.
The discovery comes barely four weeks after the Agency
dismantled a similar massive meth laboratory in a forest in Ijebu East, Ogun
State, signaling a desperate attempt by drug barons to turn the Southwest axis
into a synthetic drug manufacturing hub.
Speaking on the development, NDLEA chairman, Brig. Gen.
Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the gallantry, dedication, and clinical
professionalism of the officers involved in the operation.
“On Wednesday, 17th June 2026, tactical operatives of the NDLEA stormed a highly fortified, industrial-scale clandestine methamphetamine laboratory operating deep within the forest of Tapa Village, Ibarapa North Local Government Area, Oyo State.
This was not
a rudimentary setup; it was a sophisticated, highly organized transnational
syndicate. During the raid, our operatives successfully arrested five key
members of the cartel on-site. They include a 56-year-old Mexican
Methamphetamine expert, Jose Villa Ochoa, brought in specifically to provide
the technical expertise for large-scale synthesis and four Nigerian
collaborators providing logistical support, cover, and local operations. They
are: Maxwell Uche Nevoh, 30; Olatunji Yusuf, 37; Bankole Akeem Owolabi, 45; and
Ganiu Monsiu, 43.
The arrest of a foreign cartel specialist on Nigerian soil underscores the transnational nature of this threat, but more importantly, it underscores our Agency's world-class intelligence capability to track, intercept, and neutralize them. Following the successful raid, a specialized team from our Directorate of Forensic and Chemical Monitoring moved in on June 18th, 2026, to conduct a rigorous forensic examination of the facility. What they uncovered is a massive, factory-level production line of poison.
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 (P2P), which is the main,
highly controlled precursor required for methamphetamine synthesis; 1800-litre
drums containing Phenylacetic acid (the primary precursor used to synthesize
P2P); Two 180L drums containing a staggering 300 litres of whitish crystalline
substance; Four 180L drums containing dark liquid undergoing synthesis.
Marwa mentioned that others items recovered from the scene
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 aluminum foil.
“The Industrial Processing Equipment discovered at the site include: One (1) Reactor Pot, which is the heart of the chemical synthesis; Two (2) mounted distillation units and three (3) fabricated mixers and condensers; as well as Two (2) vegetable dehydrator machines used for the rapid drying of the crystals.
As a result,
immediate field tests were conducted by our forensic experts. Samples of the
finished crystals recovered yielded a definitive positive result for
Methamphetamine. Furthermore, the crystalline substance from the 180L drum
tested positive for Phenylacetic acid. Every single gram of these exhibits has
been safely evacuated, documented, and preserved for comprehensive and strict
evidential presentation in court. This is yet another multibillion-naira worth
of illicit substances and production equipment ready to push millions of doses
of synthetic drugs into our streets, communities and the international
community but for the vigilance of our dedicated officers.”
Marwa noted that the proximity of the latest discovery to the Ogun State lab uncovered about four weeks ago reveals a desperate attempt by drug barons to establish a synthetic drug manufacturing hub in the Southwest axis, adding that the cartels thought hiding in dense forests would shield them from the long arm of the law but were wrong.
“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. We will
find you in the cities, we will track you into the forests, and we will
dismantle your infrastructure of death. They thought hiding in dense forests
would shield them from the long arm of the law. They were wrong”, the NDLEA
boss warned.
We want to
commend the gallantry, dedication, and clinical professionalism of our officers
of the Oyo state Command involved in this operation. To the Nigerian public, we
say thank you for your continued trust and credible information. Together, we
are securing the future of our nation”, he added
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