The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a Mexican national accused of recruiting a methamphetamine expert into Nigeria and uncovered a suspected methamphetamine laboratory in Ebonyi State.
The suspect, Arturo Carrera Loaiza, was arrested on 19 August while trying to leave Nigeria through the Murtala Mohammad International Airport (MMI) in Lagos.
The arrest came after months of investigation into suspected methamphetamine production involving Mexican nationals and Nigerians in Ogun and Oyo states.
Speaking on Tuesday in Lagos, Buba Marwa, chairman of the agency said a “Mexican drug kingpin” who was attempting to flee the country through the Lagos airport was also apprehended.
Marwa, who was represented by Femi Babafemi, its director of media and advocacy, said the arrested Mexican is a kingpin in a transnational drug cartel.
“A CCTV memory card recovered from the property proved decisive. Forensic review of the footage showed a foreign national in a blue laboratory coat on the premises, matching the image of Arturo Carrera Loaiza earlier recovered, as well as repeated appearances by John Samuel Ivo Okike. Critically, the footage captured, at about 9:00 p.m. on 21st August 2026, the movement of chemicals and laboratory equipment out of the property, with John Samuel Ivo Okike seen directing the operation alongside others assisting in the relocation.
He noted that the NDLEA, further led to the recovery of methamphetamine-related chemicals, laboratory equipment and other paraphernalia.
“A dehydrator containing a white cloth sieve embedded with loose methamphetamine, and three additional empty dehydrators; 442.8 kg of Acetone, 37.1 kg of Toluene, a 20 kg mixture of Acetone/Bromobenzene, 1.7 kg of Ethanol, 5.1 kg of Chloride Salt, 31.5 kg of Hydrochloric acid, 200 kg of P2B, and 1 kg of Tartaric acid; Condensing units, a condenser head, a condenser, and a fabricated reaction pot,” Marwa said
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