NDLEA busts meth laboratory in Oyo forest, arrests Mexican, 4 others

By Kingsley Omonobi

National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) operatives dismantled a fortified, industrial‑scale methamphetamine laboratory run by a Nigerian‑Mexican cartel in the forest of Tapa Village, Ibarapa North Local Government Area, Oyo State.

The raid followed a similar operation that took place in a forest in Ijebu East, Ogun State, just over four weeks earlier, indicating a concerted effort by drug traffickers to convert the Southwest region into a synthetic‑drug manufacturing hub.

At the NDLEA Headquarters in Abuja, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd) spoke about the operation. He was represented by Director of Media and Advocacy Femi Babafemi at a press briefing on Wednesday, 24 June 2026. Marwa praised the bravery, dedication, and professionalism of the officers involved.

He said, “On Wednesday, 17 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 neutralise them.”

“Following the successful raid, a specialised team from our Directorate of Forensic and Chemical Monitoring moved in on 18 June 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), the main, highly controlled precursor required for methamphetamine synthesis; 1800‑litre drums containing phenylacetic acid (the primary precursor used to synthesise P2P); two 180‑L drums containing a staggering 300 litres of whitish crystalline substance; four 180‑L drums containing a dark liquid undergoing synthesis.”

“Others include: 101 bags (25 kg each) of caustic soda; 17 containers (25 L each) of sulphuric acid; 19.5 containers (25 kg each) of tartaric acid; five containers of Reniso Ultracool 68 (three 50 L and two 25 L capacity); 25 bottles (500 ml each) of 80 % thioglycolic acid; two containers (25 L each) of ethyl phenylacetate; and 25 cartons of aluminium foil.”

“The industrial processing equipment discovered at the site includes: one reactor pot, the heart of the chemical synthesis; two mounted distillation units; three fabricated mixers and condensers; and two 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 180‑L 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.