US Warns of Mexican Cartels Targeting Nigeria for Meth

The United States has issued a warning regarding the growing interest of Mexican drug cartels in Nigeria as a methamphetamine trafficking hub. Michael Gonzales, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs for Africa and the Middle East, stated that these cartels are increasingly viewing Africa as an alternative route for synthetic drug trafficking.

This warning follows the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) dismantling four methamphetamine laboratories in Nigeria within the year. Gonzales visited the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja, where he praised the agency's operational successes and emphasized the significance of Nigeria's counter-narcotics campaign.

He noted that the four meth lab busts exemplified the NDLEA's intelligence-led investigations and inter-agency cooperation. Gonzales highlighted that successful operations in Nigeria could impact drug markets globally, stressing the international nature of the narcotics trade.