The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (National Drug Law Enforcement Agency) has uncovered and dismantled a massive transnational methamphetamine production network operating from a clandestine forest laboratory in Ogun State, in what officials describe as one of its most significant anti-narcotics operations in recent times.
The agency said the operation led to the seizure of illicit drugs and precursor chemicals valued at over ₦480bn, alongside the arrest of 10 suspects comprising the alleged kingpin, identified as Anochili Innocent, three Mexican nationals, and six Nigerian collaborators.
The secret drug factory was located deep inside Abidagba Forest in Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State, where operatives discovered that large-scale methamphetamine production had been ongoing under the disguise of a legitimate agricultural farm.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Buba Marwa, said the breakthrough followed months of intelligence gathering and carefully coordinated simultaneous raids across Ogun and Lagos States within a 48-hour window.
According to Marwa, operatives of the agency’s Special Operations Unit stormed the forest facility on May 16, catching members of the syndicate in the act of processing highly toxic and volatile chemical substances.
“Through a clinical and simultaneous operation, we dismantled a sophisticated transnational methamphetamine production syndicate run jointly by a Nigerian cartel and their Mexican counterparts,” Marwa said.
He disclosed that in a parallel operation in Lagos State, operatives raided a luxury residence in the Lekki area, where the alleged cartel leader, Anochili Innocent, was arrested at his Golf Estate mansion.
The NDLEA boss added that the raid led to the recovery of international passports and mobile phones belonging to the arrested Mexican nationals, further exposing the cross-border structure of the drug network.
The agency revealed that a total of 2,419.48 kilograms of methamphetamine and precursor chemicals were recovered from the forest laboratory, with an estimated international street value of $362.9 million.
It further disclosed that follow-up operations had uncovered additional stash locations linked to the syndicate within Lagos, as investigations continued into the wider network.
Marwa warned that drug trafficking organisations were increasingly adopting sophisticated concealment strategies, including recruiting foreign specialists to establish clandestine laboratories in remote parts of the country.
“We are fully aware of their evolving tactics. No matter how deep into the bush or how exclusive the estate, we will hunt them down, dismantle their networks, and seize their illicit wealth,” he said.
He urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities, noting that the Ogun forest laboratory had operated under the cover of a legitimate farm while functioning as a full-scale drug production hub.
The NDLEA said investigations are ongoing to unravel the cartel’s full international connections and financial architecture.
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