NDLEA arrests Mexican meth kingpin at Lagos airport, dismantles Ebonyi lab
The NDLEA has arrested a Mexican meth kingpin, Arturo Carrera Loaiza, at the Lagos airport and dismantled a related industrial-scale laboratory in Ebonyi S Read More: https://punchng.com/ndlea-arrests-mexican-meth-kingpin-at-lagos-airport-dismantles-ebonyi-lab/
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested Mexican methamphetamine kingpin Arturo Carrera Loaiza while he attempted to flee Nigeria through Lagos airport. The agency also dismantled an industrial-scale methamphetamine laboratory in Ebonyi State. NDLEA Director-General, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa, announced the arrests during a briefing for journalists.
Loaiza was tracked down and detained on August 19, 2026, while trying to leave Nigeria. During interrogation, he claimed to have been invited to Nigeria under false pretenses, but investigators found evidence linking him to clandestine labs in Ogun and Oyo states. On August 30, 2026, operatives searched a property in Ebonyi linked to John Samuel Ivo Okike, where they found methamphetamine-related chemicals, equipment, and paraphernalia.
The recovery demonstrated the NDLEA's ability to combat sophisticated drug networks and warned against the country becoming a safe haven for international cartels.
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