National Drug Law Enforcement Agency operatives have arrested a Mexican national and four Nigerians following the discovery of an industrial-scale methamphetamine laboratory in a forest at Tapa Village, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State. The raid occurred on June 17, 2026, leading to the dismantling of the clandestine facility. The suspects include 56-year-old Jose Villa Ochoa, described as a methamphetamine production specialist, and Nigerians Maxwell Uche Nevoh, 30; Olatunji Yusuf, 37; Bankole Akeem Owolabi, 45; and Ganiu Monsiu, 43. The laboratory, located deep inside the forest, was equipped for large-scale meth production. Forensic officers recovered precursor chemicals including phenylacetic acid, phenyl-2-propanone (P2P), sulphuric acid, tartaric acid, caustic soda, thioglycolic acid, ethyl phenylacetate and aluminium foil. Equipment seized included a reactor pot, mounted distillation units, fabricated mixers, condensers and vegetable dehydrator machines. Field tests on June 18 confirmed the presence of methamphetamine and phenylacetic acid in samples from the site. All evidence has been documented and evacuated for court presentation. This operation follows another major bust on May 19, 2026, when NDLEA dismantled a similar meth lab in Ijebu East, Ogun State. Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), Chairman of NDLEA, spoke about the breakthrough at a press briefing in Abuja, represented by Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy. Marwa attributed the success to intelligence and diligence of officers in the Oyo State Command. He said the two discoveries indicate attempts by drug trafficking groups to establish synthetic drug manufacturing operations in the South-West region. The agency pledged continued action against drug cartels operating within and outside Nigeria. Members of the public were urged to provide information to aid anti-drug efforts.
Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa announced a major drug bust in Oyo State just weeks after a nearly identical discovery in Ogun State, both involving forest-based meth labs. The repeated use of remote forest locations for large-scale synthetic drug production suggests existing enforcement tactics are not deterring cartel operations. While arrests were made and equipment seized, the recurrence of such facilities in the South-West points to ongoing vulnerabilities. The presence of a foreign national with specialised skills raises questions about cross-border networks operating with local collaboration.
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