… There’ll Be No Space for Transnational Drug Cartels in Nigeria, Marwa Vows
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled another industrial-scale methamphetamine laboratory and arrested a 56-year-old Mexican drug kingpin, Arturo Carrera Loaiza, who was allegedly attempting to flee Nigeria through the Lagos airport.
The breakthrough, announced by NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, followed months of investigation into a transnational network suspected of establishing clandestine methamphetamine laboratories in forested and rural locations across Nigeria.
Marwa, who was represented at the briefing in Lagos by the Agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said investigations into the arrest of Mexican methamphetamine expert Jose Villa Ochoa at a forest laboratory in Tapa village, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State, led investigators to Loaiza.
According to the NDLEA, Ochoa identified Loaiza as the Mexican kingpin who recruited and brought him into Nigeria. Intelligence also indicated that Loaiza entered Nigeria on June 10 alongside another Mexican national, Jose Ceballos Perez.
The Agency said its operatives eventually tracked and arrested Loaiza on August 19 while he was attempting to leave Nigeria through the Lagos airport. Although he allegedly denied any knowledge of methamphetamine production, investigators reportedly recovered photographs showing him wearing a blue laboratory coat and standing among equipment consistent with drug production.
Analysis of location data from the photographs reportedly led investigators to a property under construction at Isiata Ugoni Okposi in Ebonyi State, linked to John Samuel Ivo Okike.
A subsequent investigation uncovered CCTV footage allegedly showing Loaiza at the property, as well as Okike and others moving chemicals and laboratory equipment from the premises on August 21.
Further intelligence led NDLEA operatives to an isolated house in a neighbouring community, where the relocated materials were allegedly being kept under the custody of one Nwanja Obasi.
The raid resulted in the recovery of a substantial cache of chemicals, equipment and paraphernalia allegedly connected to methamphetamine production. The seized materials included 442.8kg of acetone, 37.1kg of toluene, 20kg of an acetone/bromobenzene mixture, 1.7kg of ethanol, 5.1kg of chloride salt, 31.5kg of hydrochloric acid, 200kg of P2B and 1kg of tartaric acid.
NDLEA also recovered dehydrators, condensing units, a condenser head, a fabricated reaction pot, pumps, weighing scales, mixers, drums, gas burners and other laboratory equipment. A dehydrator containing a white cloth sieve with loose methamphetamine was also recovered.
The development comes after the NDLEA earlier arrested three Mexican nationals and seven Nigerian collaborators at a forest hideout in Ogun State in May, followed by the arrest of another Mexican national and four Nigerian collaborators at the Oyo State methamphetamine laboratory in June.
Marwa said the latest operation demonstrated the Agency’s growing intelligence and forensic capabilities, warning that Nigeria would not become a safe haven for international drug cartels.
“Nigeria will not be allowed to become a haven for transnational drug cartels seeking to relocate their laboratories from other jurisdictions into our forests and rural communities,” Marwa stated.
He commended officers of the Special Operations Unit, Strike Force, Forensics and the Oyo, Ogun and Ebonyi State Commands for their professionalism and diligence, vowing that the Agency would continue to pursue the network’s financiers, local collaborators and other enablers.
The NDLEA also urged residents, particularly those in rural and forest communities, to report suspicious activities, unusual chemical odours and unfamiliar structures to the Agency through its toll-free line 080010203040 or email info@ndlea.gov.ng.
