The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered and dismantled a large methamphetamine production facility hidden inside a forest in Oyo State.
The operation led to the arrest of a suspected Mexican drug specialist and four Nigerian suspects.
Officials described the discovery as a major breakthrough against an international drug trafficking network.
The industrial-scale laboratory was located in Tapa Village, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State.
NDLEA operatives uncovered the facility during a raid conducted on June 17.
Among those arrested was 56-year-old Jose Villa Ochoa, a Mexican national.
Investigators alleged that Ochoa was recruited to provide technical expertise for large-scale methamphetamine production.
Four Nigerian suspects were also arrested during the operation.
They were identified as Maxwell Uche Nevoh, Olatunji Yusuf, Bankole Akeem Owolabi, and Ganiu Monsiu.
NDLEA Chairman, retired Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa, said the facility contained sophisticated production equipment.
According to him, operatives recovered large quantities of precursor chemicals used in manufacturing methamphetamine.
The agency said the laboratory was designed for industrial-scale production of the illicit drug.
NDLEA disclosed that forensic examinations were conducted after the raid.
The tests confirmed the presence of methamphetamine at the site.
Officials said all substances, chemicals, and equipment recovered during the operation have been secured as evidence.
The discovery came only weeks after another methamphetamine laboratory was uncovered in neighbouring Ogun State.
That earlier facility was also hidden within a forested area.
The agency expressed concern over efforts by criminal networks to establish the South-West as a centre for synthetic drug production.
Marwa warned both local and international drug cartels against operating in Nigeria.
“Let the message go out clearly to all drug cartels, domestic and international, that Nigeria is not, and will never be, a safe haven for your illicit trade,” he said.
The NDLEA chairman vowed that the agency would continue pursuing drug traffickers across the country.
“We will find you in the cities, we will track you into the forests, and we will dismantle your infrastructure of death,” Marwa stated.
He said criminal groups wrongly believed remote forest locations would shield them from law enforcement agencies.
“They thought hiding in dense forests would shield them from the long arm of the law. They were wrong,” he added.
The agency described the operation as another major blow against transnational drug trafficking organisations.
It commended the officers who participated in the raid for their courage and professionalism.
NDLEA said the success of the operation reflects its commitment to combating illicit drug production and distribution.
Investigations into the activities of the suspects and their alleged network are expected to continue.
Authorities believe the operation has disrupted a significant drug production chain operating within the region.
The agency reaffirmed its determination to identify, arrest, and prosecute individuals involved in the illegal drug trade.
The latest discovery underscores growing concerns about the expansion of synthetic drug operations across parts of Nigeria.
