The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled a Nigerian-Mexican drug cartel operating a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Eziama community, Obeagu, Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State.
NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said the agency arrested two alleged kingpins—45-year-old Chukwu Obumneme Christopher, also known as Brown, and 60-year-old Chukwu Georginus Monday, alias George—in connection with the operation of the laboratory.
According to Babafemi, the suspects allegedly operated the methamphetamine laboratory in collaboration with Rodriguez Villanueva, a member of a Mexican drug cartel based in Mexico City. Their arrests followed several months of intelligence gathering and surveillance by the agency.
The two suspects were subsequently arraigned before the Federal High Court, Enugu Judicial Division, on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, the organisation, management and financing of a drug trafficking organisation, as well as the unlawful possession of precursor chemicals used in the production of methamphetamine, contrary to the NDLEA Act.
Following their pleas, the presiding judge, Justice Segun-Bello, fixed October 21 for trial after the NDLEA applied for an accelerated hearing.
Also listed in the charges are Uchenna, alias Uche; Celestine Ikemefuna Iwuchukwu; and Villanueva, who is currently at large.
Babafemi said a search of the clandestine laboratory led to the seizure of large quantities of precursor chemicals, including 690 litres of methylamine, 1,000 litres of isopropyl alcohol, 300 litres of hydrochloric acid, 290 litres each of toluene and acetone, 400 litres of liquid sodium hydroxide, 125 kilograms of N-phenylacetamide, 414 kilograms of lead acetate, and 769.6 kilograms of tartaric acid, among other controlled substances.
The agency said the quantity and combination of chemicals recovered were consistent with a large-scale P2P-based methamphetamine manufacturing operation.
A separate search of George’s family residence also resulted in the recovery of eight large fuel tanks, four commercial gas burners, four dehydrators and 11 kilograms of ephedrine, further indicating the scale of the alleged operation.
