By Desire Emmanuel
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have uncovered a transnational drug syndicate following the discovery of a methamphetamine laboratory operated by a Nigerian-Mexican cartel inside a forest at Tapa Village, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The discovery came barely four weeks after the agency dismantled a similar meth laboratory in a forest in Ijebu East, Ogun State.
The laboratory was uncovered on Wednesday, June 17, when operatives of the agency stormed the forest where the drug was being made.
They eventually arrested five key members of the cartel and they included a 56-year-old Mexican Methamphetamine expert, Jose Villa Ochoa.
He was said to have been brought in specifically to provide the technical expertise for large-scale synthesis and four Nigerian collaborators providing logistical support, cover and local operations.
The names of the four arrested Nigerians were given as Maxwell Uche Nevoh, Olatunji Yusuf, Bankole Akeem Owolabi and Ganiu Monsuru.
Following the raid of the forest, a specialised team from the agency’s Directorate of Forensic and Chemical Monitoring moved in on June 18 to conduct a forensic examination of the facility.
The laboratory was found to have been fully stocked with an array of chemicals, industrial catalysts and heavy-duty processing equipment.
“Chemicals and Materials recovered include: Phenyl-2-propanone (P2P), which is the the main, highly controlled precursor required for methamphetamine synthesis; 1800-litre drums containing Phenylacetic acid (the primary precursor used to synthesize P2P); Two 180L drums containing a staggering 300 litres of whitish crystalline substance; Four 180L drums containing dark liquid undergoing synthesis,” the NDLEA said in a statement on Wednesday, June 24.
Other items found included 101 bags (25kg each) of caustic soda; 17 containers (25L each) of sulphuric acid; 19.5 containers (25kg each) of tartaric acid, among others.
The arrested Mexican and Nigerians have given more useful information to the operatives and they are expected to be prosecuted at the conclusion of the investigation.
