NDLEA arrests 2 over Nigerian-Mexican meth laboratory in Enugu

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has actually apprehended 2 Nigerians over a supposed Nigerian-Mexican cartel running a private methamphetamine lab in Enugu State.

The arrests are the current in a series of drug-production examinations in Nigeria including Mexican nationals and Nigerian partners that has actually raised issues about the growing participation of foreign methamphetamine experts in private labs being developed in the nation.

The company, in a declaration by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Thursday, stated its unique operations system discovered the lab in Eziama neighborhood, Obeagu, Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State.

It stated the suspects, recognized as Chukwu Christopher, 45, likewise called Brown, and Chukwu Monday, 60, likewise referred to as George, were jailed after months of intelligence event and monitoring.

According to the NDLEA, the 2 guys presumably ran the lab in collaboration with Rodriguez Villanueva, a Mexican drug cartel member based in Mexico City.

“As an outcome, they were arraigned before Hon. Justice Mabel Taiye Segun-Bello of the Federal High Court, Enugu Judicial Division, on a five-count charge verging on conspiracy, the organisation, management and funding of a Drug Trafficking Organization, and illegal ownership of precursor chemicals utilized in methamphetamine production, contrary to the NDLEA Act,” the declaration checked out.

The company included that after their plea, the judge consequently repaired 21 October for trial following an application by the NDLEA for a sped up hearing.

NDLEA stated 3 other individuals, Uchenna, alias Uche; Celestine Iwuchukwu; and Mr Villanueva, were likewise called in the charge however stayed at big, the firm stated.

Nigerian-Mexican meth laboratory in Enugu

Mexican meth professionals

The Enugu case comes amidst a series of NDLEA operations in 2026 in which Mexican nationals have actually been apprehended in connection with massive methamphetamine production in Nigeria.

In May, the firm dismantled what it referred to as the biggest private methamphetamine lab found in Nigeria, in a forest in Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State.

10 suspects were jailed because operation, consisting of 3 Mexican nationals whom the NDLEA stated were brought into Nigeria to offer technical proficiency for methamphetamine production. The firm stated it recuperated more than 2.4 tonnes of methamphetamine and precursor chemicals valued at about $362.9 million.

Hardly a month later on in June, the firm exposed another industrial-scale methamphetamine lab in Tapa Village, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Amongst 5 suspects detained at the center was Jose Ochoa, a 56-year-old Mexican nationwide whom the NDLEA referred to as a methamphetamine production professional hired to Nigeria to supply technical help.

In September, the firm revealed the arrest of another Mexican nationwide, Arturo Loaiza, whom it implicated of hiring Mr Ochoa into Nigeria.

Mr Loaiza was jailed on 19 August while trying to leave Nigeria through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. The examination consequently led the NDLEA to a thought methamphetamine lab in Ebonyi State.

The most recent Enugu operation includes another state to the growing list of places where the company states Nigerian networks have actually dealt with Mexican nationals or Mexican-linked criminal networks in methamphetamine production.

The discoveries in Ogun and Oyo had earlier triggered issues that parts of southern Nigeria might be becoming a production base for miracle drugs, instead of simply functioning as a transit or customer market.

How Enugu lab was exposed

The NDLEA stated its security operation in between 1 and 4 December 2025 tracked Mr Christopher’s motions throughout Lagos, Enugu and Anambra states.

The operation ultimately led private investigators to a substance in Obeagu, where they found a private lab geared up with improvised reactors and distillation device.

The firm stated the center had the capability to produce methamphetamine in business amounts and looked like labs just recently took apart in Ogun, Oyo and Ebonyi states.

READ ALSO: NDLEA discovers ‘secret’ Nigerian-Mexican meth cartel

“A search of the facilities caused the healing of huge amounts of precursor chemicals, consisting of 690 litres of methylamine, 1,000 litres of isopropyl alcohol, 300 litres of hydrochloric acid, 290 litres each of toluene and acetone, 400 litres of liquid salt hydroxide, 125 kilogrammes of N-phenylacetamide, 414 kilogrammes of lead acetate, and 769.6 kgs of tartaric acid, to name a few illegal drugs, a haul constant with a high-potency, P2P-based methamphetamine production operation,” the declaration checked out.

The NDLEA stated the recuperated chemicals followed a high-potency, P2P-based methamphetamine production operation.

An associated search of Mr Monday’s household home likewise produced 8 big fuel tanks, 4 industrial burner, 4 dehydrators and 11 kilogrammes of ephedrine. The firm stated the discoveries suggested the scale of the supposed operation.

NDLEA swears to pursue suspects

NDLEA Chairman, Mohamed Marwa, stated the company would continue its examination and pursue suspects still at big.

Mr Marwa explained the Enugu lab as additional proof of efforts by multinational drug networks to develop operations in Nigeria.

He applauded officers associated with the operation and stated the company would continue to deal with global partners to interrupt drug-production networks.

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