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By Lizzy Chirkpi
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a Mexican drug kingpin, Arturo Carrera Loaiza, while attempting to flee Nigeria through the Lagos airport, following an investigation into a transnational network allegedly behind clandestine methamphetamine laboratories in the country.
Loaiza was arrested on August 19, 2026, after NDLEA operatives tracked him to the Lagos airport, where he was attempting to leave the country.
The NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), disclosed the development while briefing journalists in Lagos on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
Marwa, who was represented by the Agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said the arrest followed investigations into a Mexican methamphetamine expert, 56-year-old Jose Villa Ochoa, who was arrested alongside four Nigerian collaborators at a clandestine laboratory in Tapa village, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State, on June 17.
According to the NDLEA, Ochoa identified Loaiza as the Mexican national who recruited him and facilitated his movement to Nigeria. Intelligence gathered with the assistance of international partners also established that Loaiza entered Nigeria on June 10, 2026, alongside another Mexican national, Jose Ceballos Perez.
During interrogation, Loaiza reportedly claimed that a Nigerian contact known only as “Henry” invited him to Nigeria for a restaurant business and denied any knowledge of methamphetamine production or the Tapa laboratory.
However, investigators said evidence recovered during the probe contradicted his claims.
The Agency said photographs recovered from its investigation showed Loaiza wearing a blue laboratory coat and standing among equipment believed to be associated with methamphetamine production.
Location metadata from the photographs subsequently led investigators to a property under construction at Isiata Ugoni Okposi, Ebonyi State.
A search of the property on August 30, according to the NDLEA, uncovered further evidence linking the suspected network to the site. Investigators also recovered a CCTV memory card which allegedly showed Loaiza at the premises wearing the same blue laboratory coat.
The footage reportedly captured the movement of chemicals and laboratory equipment from the property on the night of August 21, with Nigerian suspect John Samuel Ivo Okike allegedly directing the relocation.
Following further intelligence, NDLEA operatives traced the relocated materials to an isolated house in a neighbouring community, where they recovered large quantities of chemicals and equipment associated with methamphetamine production.
The seizure included 442.8kg of acetone, 37.1kg of toluene, 200kg of P2B, 31.5kg of hydrochloric acid, as well as other chemicals, dehydrators, condensers, reaction equipment and laboratory paraphernalia.
Marwa warned that Nigeria would not become a safe haven for international drug cartels seeking to establish clandestine laboratories in the country’s forests and rural communities.
“Nigeria will not be allowed to become a haven for transnational drug cartels seeking to relocate their laboratories from other jurisdictions into our forests and rural communities,” he said.
He said the arrest of Loaiza and the dismantling of the Ebonyi facility, following earlier operations in Ogun and Oyo states, demonstrated the growing intelligence and forensic capacity of the NDLEA to disrupt sophisticated international drug networks.
The NDLEA boss also commended personnel of the Special Operations Unit, Strike Force, Forensics and the Ogun, Oyo and Ebonyi State Commands for their roles in the operations.
The Agency said investigations were continuing to identify and prosecute other members, financiers and local collaborators allegedly connected to the network.