NDLEA Dismantles Major Meth Lab in Oyo State

On June 17, 2023, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) uncovered and dismantled a fortified industrial-scale methamphetamine laboratory hidden in a forest in Oyo State. This operation led to the arrest of a 56-year-old Mexican methamphetamine specialist, Jose Villa Ochoa, who allegedly provided technical expertise for large-scale drug production.

Four Nigerian suspects were also apprehended: Maxwel Uch Nevoh (30), Olatunji Yusuf (37), Bankol Akeem Owolabi (45), and Ganiu Monsiu (43). NDLEA Chairman Brig Gen Mohammed Marwa (retd) described the operation as a major blow against transnational drug trafficking networks.

The laboratory was equipped with sophisticated industrial equipment and contained large quantities of chemicals used in methamphetamine production. Following a forensic examination, samples tested positive for methamphetamine.

Marwa emphasized that the discovery indicates that drug cartels are attempting to establish synthetic drug manufacturing hubs in Nigeria, and he assured that the NDLEA would continue to dismantle such infrastructures.