NDLEA warns international drug cartels targeting south-west for meth production

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says international drug trafficking groups are making efforts to establish methamphetamine production centres in Nigeria’s south-west region.

Methamphetamine is a synthetic stimulant known for its highly addictive nature and harmful effects on the central nervous system, often causing serious physical and mental health problems.

In May, the NDLEA announced the destruction of a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory located in Ogun state.

According to Femi Babafemi, the agency’s spokesperson, the operation resulted in the recovery of more than 2.4 tonnes of methamphetamine and chemical substances worth over $362 million, estimated at more than N480 billion on the international market.

Babafemi said the large-scale facility was concealed in a forest within Ijebu East LGA and was allegedly operated by a Nigerian drug syndicate working with Mexican methamphetamine specialists.

Earlier this month, the agency declared Nnamuka Kelvin Uchenna and three other suspects wanted over their alleged roles in running a secret methamphetamine laboratory in Imo state.

‘FOREST HIDEOUTS NEW BASE FOR SYNDICATES’

While speaking to journalists during a visit to the dismantled facility in Ogun state, Babafemi, NDLEA’s director of media and advocacy, described the discovery as a significant success in the agency’s fight against drug trafficking.

He said the quantity of methamphetamine recovered from the site was substantial enough to threaten public health and security in Nigeria, across West Africa, and in other regions.

“It’s indeed a landmark for the agency in our efforts, in our drug control efforts, because you imagine the volume of what was recovered here, but that’s enough to cause a lot of issues, public health issues, security challenges, not only in our country Nigeria but even in the sub-region,” Babafemi said.

“And in other jurisdictions that’s outside of this country, because of the nature and the potency of the drug that’s methamphetamine being produced at an industrial scale in this facility, and we are glad that we have a prosecution team that is doing excellently well already in prosecuting the case.”

Babafemi added that the illegal substance had been produced on an industrial scale before the agency shut down the operation.

He also said the NDLEA’s legal team had recorded notable progress in prosecuting those involved and expressed optimism about the ongoing court proceedings.

According to Babafemi, NDLEA chairman Buba Marwa had previously warned about attempts by international drug syndicates to set up methamphetamine production facilities in the south-west.

He said the criminal groups had relocated their operations from urban areas to remote forests in an effort to avoid being detected by law enforcement.

“Indeed, the chairman of the agency, Buba Marwa, did say that… earlier in his statement, that it is of serious concern that there seems to be an attempt by the drug syndicates, especially the international cartels trying to establish meth production hub within the south-west region of the country and they are not doing this within the cities or within the towns but going into the forest to do this,” the director said.

“It’s a challenge the agency has risen up to, to ensure that we don’t allow them to have a hold not only in the south-west but in the entire country and that’s the result of what we all have seen with the immediate dismantling of the syndicates before they move the dangerous substances into our streets, into our communities and into the international markets.”

Babafemi disclosed that 10 defendants are facing prosecution over the case, including suspected drug kingpin Anochili Innocent, three Mexican nationals, and six other alleged collaborators.

Adekunle Adebajo, the NDLEA’s lead prosecutor in Lagos, said several exhibits had already been admitted in court, while the remaining ones would be presented when the matter resumes on Friday.

Adebajo added that the agency had earlier sought the court’s approval to dismantle the meth production facility, noting that the next steps would depend on the court’s decision on that application.

He also said the remaining exhibits would be tendered at the next hearing.