How NDLEA Dismantled Major Meth Lab in Oyo Forest, Arrested Mexican Drug Expert and Four Others

Oru Leonard 

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has uncovered and dismantled a large-scale clandestine methamphetamine laboratory hidden deep inside a forest in Oyo State, arresting a Mexican national and four Nigerians allegedly linked to an international drug cartel.

The operation, carried out in Tapa Village, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State, led to the seizure of multi-billion-naira worth of illicit substances, precursor chemicals and industrial-grade drug manufacturing equipment.

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), represented by the Agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, described the discovery as another major breakthrough in the fight against transnational drug trafficking networks.

According to Marwa, NDLEA tactical operatives stormed the highly fortified facility on June 17 following intelligence reports, leading to the arrest of five suspected cartel members.

Among those arrested was 56-year-old Mexican methamphetamine specialist, Jose Villa Ochoa, who was allegedly recruited to provide technical expertise for large-scale drug production. The four Nigerian suspects arrested alongside him were identified as Maxwell Uche Nevoh, 30; Olatunji Yusuf, 37; Bankole Akeem Owolabi, 45; and Ganiu Monsiu, 43.Marwa said the arrest of a foreign drug manufacturing expert on Nigerian soil highlights both the international dimension of the drug trade and the effectiveness of the agency’s intelligence-gathering operations.

A follow-up forensic investigation conducted by NDLEA’s Directorate of Forensic and Chemical Monitoring revealed that the facility operated as a factory-scale production centre stocked with large quantities of precursor chemicals and sophisticated processing equipment used in methamphetamine production.

Recovered materials included Phenyl-2-propanone (P2P), a controlled precursor for methamphetamine synthesis, several 1,800-litre drums of phenylacetic acid, drums containing crystalline substances and liquids undergoing chemical synthesis, 101 bags of caustic soda, sulphuric acid, tartaric acid, ethyl phenylacetate and other industrial chemicals.

The agency also recovered a reactor pot, distillation units, mixers, condensers and vegetable dehydrator machines used in the processing and drying of methamphetamine crystals.

Marwa disclosed that field tests conducted on samples recovered from the laboratory confirmed the presence of methamphetamine, while other substances tested positive for phenylacetic acid, a key ingredient in the production process.

He noted that all exhibits had been documented and secured for prosecution.

The NDLEA boss said the latest discovery, coming barely four weeks after a similar clandestine methamphetamine laboratory was dismantled in a forest in Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State, suggests an attempt by drug syndicates to establish a synthetic drug manufacturing hub in the South-West region.

He warned drug cartels that no location in Nigeria would serve as a safe haven for their operations.
“We will find you in the cities, we will track you into the forests, and we will dismantle your infrastructure of death. They thought hiding in dense forests would shield them from the long arm of the law. They were wrong,” Marwa said.

He commended officers of the NDLEA Oyo State Command for their professionalism and bravery during the operation and urged members of the public to continue providing credible intelligence to support the agency’s anti-drug campaign.

The NDLEA reiterated its commitment to disrupting drug production and trafficking networks across the country as part of efforts to safeguard communities and strengthen national security.