The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has uncovered a large-scale clandestine methamphetamine laboratory hidden in a forest in Oyo State, seizing massive quantities of illicit substances, precursor chemicals and industrial processing equipment valued at billions of naira.
The agency said the operation, carried out by officers of its Oyo State Command, led to the recovery of a significant volume of a whitish crystalline substance suspected to be methamphetamine, alongside four 180-litre drums containing dark liquid undergoing chemical synthesis.
Other items recovered from the site include 101 bags of 25kg each of caustic soda; 17 containers of 25 litres each of sulphuric acid; 19.5 containers of 25kg each of tartaric acid; and five containers of Reniso Ultracool 68 of varying capacities.
Also seized were 25 bottles of 500ml each of 80 per cent thioglycolic acid, two 25-litre containers of ethyl phenylacetate, and 25 cartons of aluminium foil, all believed to be used in the production and packaging of synthetic drugs.
According to the agency, industrial equipment discovered at the illegal facility included a reactor pot described as the core of the chemical synthesis process, two mounted distillation units, three fabricated mixers and condensers, and two vegetable dehydrator machines used for rapid drying of drug crystals.
The Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Buba Marwa, disclosed that immediate field tests conducted by forensic experts confirmed the substances recovered at the site.
He said the finished crystals tested positive for methamphetamine, while samples from the 180-litre drums yielded positive results for phenylacetic acid, a key precursor in the production of the illicit drug.
Marwa noted that all exhibits recovered from the scene had been evacuated, properly documented and preserved for presentation as evidence in court.
He described the seizure as another major disruption of a multibillion-naira drug operation that could have flooded communities in Nigeria and beyond with millions of doses of synthetic drugs.
The NDLEA boss further warned that the discovery, coming barely weeks after a similar laboratory was dismantled in Ogun State, indicated a growing attempt by drug cartels to establish a manufacturing hub for synthetic drugs in the South-West region.
He, however, vowed that the agency would not allow such networks to thrive.
“Let the message go out clearly to all drug cartels, domestic and international, that Nigeria is not, and will never be, a safe haven for your illicit trade. We will find you in the cities, track you into the forests, and dismantle your infrastructure of death,” Marwa said.
He commended officers involved in the operation for their professionalism and bravery, while also appreciating members of the public for providing credible intelligence that aided the bust.
Marwa assured Nigerians of the agency’s continued commitment to ridding the country of drug trafficking and abuse, stressing that collaboration with citizens remained critical to achieving that goal.
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