ABUJA — The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a suspected Mexican drug kingpin attempting to flee Nigeria through the Lagos airport and dismantled an industrial-scale methamphetamine laboratory in Ebonyi State.
The development, according to the agency, is part of an expanding investigation into a transnational drug network allegedly recruiting foreign methamphetamine experts and establishing clandestine laboratories in Nigeria’s forests and rural communities.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (retd.), said the latest operation demonstrated the agency’s determination to prevent Nigeria from becoming a hub for international drug cartels. 
Marwa, who spoke through the Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, at a media briefing in Lagos on Tuesday, said the breakthrough followed months of intelligence gathering and forensic investigations into a network linked to several clandestine laboratories uncovered in Ogun, Oyo and Ebonyi states.
He recalled that NDLEA operatives on May 16, 2026, arrested three Mexican nationals and seven Nigerian collaborators at a forest hideout in Ogun State.
A month later, on June 17, the agency arrested another Mexican national and four Nigerian collaborators at a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory concealed in a forested area of Tapa village, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Large quantities of methamphetamine and precursor chemicals were reportedly recovered from the Oyo laboratory.
According to Marwa, investigations by the agency’s Special Operations Unit revealed that the 56-year-old Mexican methamphetamine expert arrested in Oyo had been recruited into Nigeria by a Mexican drug kingpin.
Working with international partners, investigators obtained a photograph of the suspected kingpin, which the arrested Mexican national reportedly identified as the man who recruited and transported him to Nigeria.
The suspect was subsequently identified as Arturo Carrera Loaiza, who, according to the agency, entered Nigeria on June 10 alongside another Mexican national.
NDLEA operatives eventually tracked and arrested Carrera Loaiza on August 19 while he was allegedly attempting to leave the country through the Lagos airport.
During interrogation, the suspect reportedly claimed that he had been invited to Nigeria by a Nigerian contact identified only as “Henry” under the guise of a restaurant business venture. He also denied knowledge of methamphetamine production or involvement with the Tapa village laboratory.
However, investigators said they recovered photographs showing Carrera Loaiza wearing a blue laboratory coat and standing among equipment consistent with methamphetamine production.
Analysis of location metadata embedded in the photographs allegedly led investigators to a property under construction at Isiata Ugoni Okposi in Ebonyi State.
On August 30, NDLEA operatives raided the property, which was linked to John Samuel Ivo Okike.
Interviews with people found at the site, including the site engineer and a caretaker, reportedly revealed the presence of a suspicious temporary structure over a septic tank area behind the building, as well as persistent strong chemical odours.
Investigators also recovered a CCTV memory card from the property.
According to NDLEA, forensic examination of the footage showed a foreign national wearing a blue laboratory coat who matched Carrera Loaiza, as well as repeated appearances by Okike.
The footage allegedly captured the movement of chemicals and laboratory equipment from the property at about 9 p.m. on August 21, with Okike reportedly directing the operation alongside other individuals.
Acting on further intelligence, NDLEA operatives traced the relocated materials to an isolated house in a neighbouring community allegedly under the custody of Nwanja Obasi.
A subsequent raid led to the recovery of a large cache of chemicals, equipment and paraphernalia associated with methamphetamin
