The National Drug Law
Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has discovered a methamphetamine laboratory run by
Mexicans and dislodged a major drug trafficking organization in the country.
The
Punch report continues:
Officials
of the Special Enforcement Team NDLEA discovered the illicit methamphetamine
production laboratory in Asaba, Delta State.
According
to the Head, Public Affairs, NDLEA, Mr. Mitchell Ofoyeju, the “super”
methamphetamine laboratory, which is similar to the ones found in Mexico, is
the first to be discovered in Nigeria.
Ofoyeju
quoted the Chairman/Chief Executive, NDLEA, Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah, as
saying the laboratory has a capacity of producing between 3,000kg to 4,000kg of
methamphetamine per production cycle.
He
said, “A significant feature of this laboratory is that the production process
is more technical and sophisticated because it uses the synthesis method of
methamphetamine production.
“All
the principal actors linked to this illicit act were apprehended in a
simultaneous raid on members of the drug syndicate in Lagos, Obosi in Anambra
State, and at the laboratory in Asaba, Delta state.”
Those
arrested include four Nigerians suspected to be joint owners of the laboratory
and four Mexicans who are methamphetamine production experts allegedly hired as
technical partners into the country.
The
suspects are Chibi Aruh, William Ejike Agusi, Umolu Kosisochukwu and Umolu
Ckukwemeka.
Others
are Cervantos Madrid Jose Bruno, Rivas Ruiz Pastiano, Castillo Barraza
Cristobal and Partida Gonzalez Pedro.
Abdallah
described the operation as a technical undercover assignment leading to the
dismantling of a drug trafficking organization.
He
said, “In a technical undercover operation, four Mexicans were arrested in
active production exercise inside the super laboratory. The cartel first
brought two Mexican methamphetamine experts, Cervantos Madrid Jose Bruno and
Rivas Ruiz Pastiano to Nigeria but because of the size of the laboratory
coupled with the volume of work, two additional Mexicans, Castillo Barraza
Cristobal and Partida Gonzalez Pedro were added.
“Our
investigations showed that a successful test production was done at the
laboratory in February 2016.”
The
laboratory was raided while the second production cycle was ongoing, according
to the NDLEA.
Items
recovered at the laboratory included 1.5kg of finished methamphetamine and 750
liters of liquid methamphetamine.
Other
items found in the laboratory included industrial pressure pots, gas cylinders,
gas burners, facial masks and numerous chemicals.
Also
recovered in the operation were a Toyota Tundra, a Mercedes Benz Jeep ML and a
Toyota Corolla car.
The
anti-narcotics agency warned that unless drastic measures were taken against the
trend, the rise of “super” laboratories would put Nigeria on the global
spotlight in methamphetamine production.
“This
is because the laboratory operates at an industrial scale with a high yield of
3,000kg to 4,000kgs of methamphetamine per production cycle.
“Nigeria
methamphetamine is now competing with others in Asia and South Africa markets.
The super laboratory does not need ephedrine because it uses the synthesis
method.
“Drug
cartels are now shifting from simple method of methamphetamine production to a
more complex process.”
According
to him, methamphetamine laboratories pose a serious threat to humanity because
of the toxic nature of chemicals used.
He
further said methamphetamine dump pollutes the environment because for every
one pound of methamphetamine produced, about three to six pounds of toxic waste
is created.
He
noted that this could contaminate the water table within 500 metres radius from
the laboratory.
“Even plants close to the
dump were found to be dead. The laboratory contains highly poisonous solvents
and gases. Some are pyrophoric in nature capable of explosion; other chemicals
are carcinogenic, capable of causing cancer while some are highly combustible
and corrosive,” Abdallah stated.
Nigeria Arrests Mexicans
At Meth Super-Lab
Nigerian drug agents
arrested four Mexicans who were allegedly helping build a "super-lab"
capable of producing billions of dollars' worth of methamphetamine, the
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency said Monday.
AP
report continues:
Spokesman
Mitchell Ofoyeju said it was the first industrial-scale production of crystal
meth found in West Africa, and possibly on the continent.
"The
Nigerians invited the Mexicans in to leverage their expertise in these
industrial-scale, high-yield productions," said Ofoyeju.
The
warehouse in southern Delta state could produce 4,000 kilograms (8,800 pounds)
a week of the synthetic drug, which sells for US$6,000 a kilogram in Nigeria
but as much as US$300,000 a kilogram in the Asian markets favored by Nigerian
drug dealers, Ofoyeju told The Associated Press. Most goes to Singapore and
Malaysia.
The
lab completed a first successful production in February and the agents raided
it as the Mexicans were producing a second run, Ofoyeju said. Only 1.5
kilograms of meth was recovered with 750 liters (200 gallons) of liquid
methamphetamine.
Mexico's
Foreign Relations Department said its embassy in Nigeria was working with local
authorities to confirm the suspects' identities and nationalities and determine
their legal status.
The
raid came after an undercover operation that also netted the arrests of four
Nigerians last Wednesday. The eight arrests happened in simultaneous raids in
two southern towns and the commercial capital, Lagos.
Separately,
Nigeria's drug enforcement agency announced the weekend arrest of suspected
drug baron Tochukwu Harris Ubah in connection with the seizure at Lagos port of
576 kilograms (1,270 pounds) of crystal meth and ephedrine — used in
small-scale production. It was bound for Durban, South Africa.
The first crystal meth labs
in West Africa were discovered in Nigeria in 2011, and 10, smaller than
industrial scale, have since been dismantled. The West African Drug Commission
has warned that drug lords are corrupting politicians and law enforcers, and
even running for office themselves. 
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