Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have delivered another major blow to transnational drug syndicates by discovering and dismantling a fortified, industrial-scale clandestine methamphetamine laboratory operated by a Nigerian-Mexican cartel deep in the forest of Tapa Village in Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The breakthrough comes barely four weeks after the agency dismantled a similar massive meth laboratory in a forest in the Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State, signaling a desperate attempt by drug barons to turn the Southwest axis into a synthetic drug manufacturing hub.
Speaking on the development at the NDLEA Headquarters in Abuja, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Agency, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd.), who was represented by the Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, at a press briefing on Wednesday, 24th June 2026, commended the gallantry, dedication, and clinical professionalism of the officers involved in the operation.
According to him, “On Wednesday, June 17, 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 of Oyo State.
“This was not a rudimentary setup. It was a sophisticated and highly organised 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.”
The four Nigerians arrested were identified as Maxwell Uche Nevoh, 30; Olatunji Yusuf, 37; Bankole Akeem Owolabi, 45; and Ganiu Monsiu, 43.
Marwa said the arrest of a foreign cartel specialist on Nigerian soil highlights the transnational nature of the threat and demonstrates the agency’s intelligence-gathering capability.
“The arrest of a foreign cartel specialist on Nigerian soil underscores the transnational nature of this threat. More importantly, it underscores our agency’s world-class intelligence capability to track, intercept, and neutralise such criminal networks.
“Following the successful raid, a specialised team from our Directorate of Forensic and Chemical Monitoring moved in on June 18, 2026, to conduct a rigorous forensic examination of the facility. What they uncovered was a massive, factory-level production line for poison.”
He disclosed that the laboratory was stocked with a wide range of precursor chemicals, industrial catalysts, and processing equipment used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.
Among the chemicals and materials recovered were phenyl-2-propanone (P2P), the main precursor required for methamphetamine synthesis; 1,800-liter drums containing phenylacetic acid, used in the production of P2P; two 180-liter drums containing about 300 liters of a whitish crystalline substance; and four 180-liter drums containing dark liquid undergoing synthesis.
Other items recovered included 101 bags of caustic soda, each weighing 25 kilograms; 17 containers of sulfuric acid, each measuring 25 liters; 19.5 containers of tartaric acid, each weighing 25 kilograms; five containers of Reniso Ultracool 68 comprising three 50-liter and two 25-liter units; 25 bottles of 80 percent thioglycolic acid, each measuring 500 milliliters; two 25-liter containers of ethyl phenylacetate; and 25 cartons of aluminum foil.
Industrial processing equipment discovered at the site included one reactor pot, described as the heart of the chemical synthesis process; two mounted distillation units; three fabricated mixers and condensers; and two vegetable dehydrator machines used to rapidly dry methamphetamine crystals.
Marwa said field tests conducted by forensic experts confirmed the presence of methamphetamine.
“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 180-liter drum tested positive for phenylacetic acid.”
“Every single gram of these exhibits has been safely evacuated, documented, and preserved for comprehensive evidential presentation in court. This represents another multibillion-naira cache of illicit substances and production equipment that could have pushed millions of doses of synthetic drugs into our streets, communities, and international markets but for the vigilance of our dedicated officers.”
The NDLEA boss noted that the proximity of the latest discovery to the methamphetamine laboratory recently uncovered in Ogun State points to a coordinated effort by criminal syndicates to establish a synthetic drug manufacturing corridor in the South-West.
“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.”
Marwa also thanked members of the public for their continued support and intelligence-sharing efforts.
“We want to commend the gallantry, dedication, and clinical professionalism of our officers in the Oyo State Command who were 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.
Packaged by Lanre Olabisi
