The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a Mexican methamphetamine kingpin, Arturo Carrera Loaiza, while allegedly attempting to flee Nigeria through the Lagos airport.
The agency also dismantled an industrial-scale methamphetamine laboratory in Ebonyi State as part of an investigation into a transnational drug syndicate operating clandestine laboratories across Nigeria.
NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (retd.), disclosed this in Lagos while briefing journalists on the agency’s latest operations.
Marwa said the arrest and dismantling of the Ebonyi laboratory followed months of intelligence gathering and investigations into a network linked to illegal methamphetamine production in Ogun, Oyo and Ebonyi states.
He recalled that on May 16, 2026, NDLEA operatives arrested three Mexican nationals and seven Nigerian collaborators at a forest hideout in Ogun State.
On June 17, another Mexican national, 56-year-old Jose Villa Ochoa, and four Nigerian collaborators were arrested at a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in a forested area of Tapa village, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State.
According to Marwa, investigations revealed that Ochoa had been recruited into Nigeria by Loaiza.
He said international cooperation enabled investigators to obtain Loaiza’s photograph, which Ochoa positively identified as that of the man who recruited and brought him into Nigeria.
Marwa said intelligence further established that Loaiza entered Nigeria on June 10 alongside another Mexican national, Jose Ceballos Perez.
He was subsequently tracked and arrested on August 19 while attempting to leave the country through the Lagos airport.
During interrogation, Loaiza reportedly claimed that a Nigerian contact identified only as “Henry” had invited him to Nigeria under the guise of a restaurant business venture. He also denied knowledge of methamphetamine production or involvement in the Tapa laboratory.
However, investigators reportedly recovered photographs showing Loaiza wearing a blue laboratory coat and standing beside equipment consistent with methamphetamine production.
Marwa said analysis of the location metadata in the photographs led investigators to a property under construction at Isiata Ugoni Okposi in Ebonyi State.
On August 30, operatives moved on the property, which was linked to one John Samuel Ivo Okike.
According to the NDLEA boss, interviews with the site engineer and caretaker revealed the construction of a suspicious temporary structure over the septic tank area at the rear of the building, while strong chemical odours were reportedly emanating from the premises.
A CCTV memory card recovered from the property allegedly provided further evidence, showing a foreign national wearing a blue laboratory coat similar to the one seen in Loaiza’s photograph, as well as repeated appearances by Okike.
Marwa said CCTV footage captured around 9pm on August 21 showed chemicals and laboratory equipment being moved out of the property, with Okike allegedly directing the operation.
Further intelligence reportedly led NDLEA operatives to an isolated house in a neighbouring community, where the relocated materials were being kept under the custody of one Nwanja Obasi.
A subsequent raid led to the recovery of large quantities of chemicals, laboratory equipment and paraphernalia allegedly linked to methamphetamine production.
Items recovered 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.
Other exhibits included a dehydrator containing a white cloth sieve embedded with loose methamphetamine, three empty dehydrators, condensing units, condenser heads, a condenser, fabricated reaction pots, an access pump, weighing scales, mixers, drums, gas burners, gloves and a blue laboratory coat.
Marwa said the recovered exhibits, CCTV footage, forensic findings and eyewitness accounts had strengthened the case against members of the alleged syndicate.
He warned international drug cartels against attempting to relocate their laboratories to Nigeria, particularly forests and rural communities.
“Let me be unequivocal, 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 said.
He added that the arrest of Loaiza and the dismantling of the Ebonyi facility, coming shortly after the Ogun and Oyo operations, demonstrated the growing capacity of the NDLEA’s intelligence and forensic teams to track sophisticated drug networks.
Marwa commended operatives of the Special Operations Unit, Strike Force, Forensics, and the Ogun, Oyo and Ebonyi State Commands for their roles in the operations.
He vowed that the agency would continue to pursue every lead until the alleged drug network, including its financiers and local collaborators, was fully dismantled and brought to justice.
