The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency says it has dismantled what it described as the biggest methamphetamine production network ever uncovered in Nigeria, following a major operation involving suspected Nigerian and Mexican cartel members.
NDLEA Chairman, Mohamed Buba Marwa, disclosed on Wednesday that operatives uncovered a large clandestine meth laboratory hidden deep inside a forest in Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State.
According to the agency, the operation was carried out on May 16, 2026, after months of intelligence gathering and coordinated surveillance across Ogun and Lagos states.
Officials said the main meth production facility was discovered inside Abidagba forest, where operatives allegedly found a fully operational drug “cooking” laboratory concealed within a farm settlement to avoid detection.
At the same time, another NDLEA team reportedly raided a luxury residence in Lekki, Lagos, linked to the alleged cartel leader identified as Anochili Innocent.
The agency said seven suspects were arrested at the forest laboratory, including three Mexican nationals allegedly brought into Nigeria to serve as chemical experts for the operation.
Those arrested were identified as Nwankwo Sunday Christian, Igwe Abuchi Remijus, Ifeanyichukwu Chibuike Joshua, Egwuonwu Uchenna Victor, alongside Mexican nationals Martinez Felix Nemecto, Jesus López Valles, and Torrero Juan Carlos.
NDLEA said follow-up raids conducted on May 18 led to additional arrests, including Kingsley Orike Omonughwa and Emeka Nwobum, whose property was allegedly being used as a storage point for the syndicate’s operations.
According to Marwa, operatives recovered about 2,419.48 kilograms of chemical substances and finished methamphetamine products during the raids. The agency estimated the street value of the seized materials at about $362.9 million, which it said equals roughly N480 billion on the international market.
The NDLEA boss stated that the discovery points to a growing pattern where international drug syndicates allegedly recruit foreign specialists to establish drug manufacturing operations within Nigeria.
He warned criminal networks that Nigeria would remain a hostile environment for drug trafficking and illegal narcotics production, stressing that the agency would continue targeting both local collaborators and international syndicates operating in the country.
Marwa also urged Nigerians living in rural and urban communities to report suspicious activities, unusual chemical smells, or hidden industrial operations, saying such intelligence could help security agencies detect illegal drug laboratories before they expand further.
The operation has since sparked widespread concern over the growing sophistication of transnational drug networks and the increasing use of remote forest locations for illegal manufacturing activities in Nigeria.