Operatives of the drug enforcement agency raid a clandestine factory in Abakaliki, seizing heavy precursor chemicals and manufacturing equipment.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory operating in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.
Operatives from the agency’s special task force conducted the raid following months of intelligence gathering and tracking of international drug syndicates operating across West Africa.
During the operation, officers arrested an alleged Mexican drug kingpin alongside three Nigerian accomplices suspected of running the covert production facility.
The agency recovered over 100 kilograms of finished crystal methamphetamine, large quantities of precursor chemicals including ephedrine and acetone, and industrial manufacturing hardware.
Addressing reporters at the agency’s headquarters, NDLEA Chairman Brigadier General Buba Marwa (Retd) described the bust as a major blow to transnational drug cartels using Nigeria as a production hub.
“This successful raid highlights our determination to flush out transnational syndicates attempting to turn our communities into manufacturing grounds for synthetic illicit drugs,” Marwa stated.
Preliminary investigations reveal that the factory produced high-grade methamphetamine intended for export to markets in South Africa and Southeast Asia.
The suspects remain in custody as investigators work to track additional domestic distribution networks and foreign financial linkages connected to the lab.
