NDLEA destroys $360m drug lab linked to Mexicans in Ogun

Nigeria's National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled what it describes as the largest methamphetamine laboratory ever discovered in the country. Located in a forest spanning the Abidagba and Iroto communities in Ogun State, the makeshift facility was taken down on Wednesday following a court order.

The operation, conducted by NDLEA operatives, followed a raid in May that led to the arrest of 10 suspects, including seven Nigerians and three Mexican nationals. Authorities also seized methamphetamine and precursor chemicals valued at approximately $360 million from two residential properties in an upscale Lagos neighborhood. The suspects are currently on trial before the Federal High Court in Lagos.

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About our readiness to combat the cartel… yes, we are ready. We have people who are capable of curtailing such a situation.

The court ordered the dismantling after forensic experts warned that the chemicals left at the site posed significant environmental and public health risks, including groundwater and air pollution. An AFP correspondent observed local artisans dismantling large equipment allegedly used in methamphetamine production, with barrels of chemicals still emitting choking vapors.

NDLEA Deputy Commander of Narcotics, James Taalba, stated the agency is prepared to confront foreign drug cartels operating in Nigeria. Nigeria and other West African nations increasingly serve as transit points for drug trafficking, and security experts are concerned about the growing local manufacture of methamphetamine, with reports suggesting Latin American specialists have transferred production expertise to the region.

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The court ordered the laboratory dismantled because of concerns over groundwater and air pollution caused by chemicals used in methamphetamine production.