NDLEA Arrests Another Mexican Drug Kingpin, Dismantles Ebonyi Meth Lab

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a Mexican drug kingpin, Arturo Carrera Loaiza, linked to a transnational methamphetamine cartel. Loaiza was apprehended on August 19, 2026, while attempting to flee Nigeria via Lagos airport. The arrest came after months of investigations into a network of clandestine drug laboratories found across the country.

NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, warned against Nigeria becoming a refuge for transnational drug cartels relocating their operations into the country's forests and rural areas. Loaiza was linked to a former Mexican methamphetamine expert, Jose Villa Ochoa, who was arrested on June 17, 2026, at a forest laboratory in Oyo State.

Intelligence reports indicated that Loaiza entered Nigeria on June 10, posing as a restaurant businessperson. During interrogation, Loaiza claimed to have been invited into the country by a Nigerian contact named "Henry." However, investigators recovered photographs showing Loaiza in a blue laboratory coat, surrounded by methamphetamine production equipment.

This led to the discovery of a property under construction in Ebonyi State, which was subsequently raided. The raid uncovered a dehydrator containing methamphetamine, various chemicals, and laboratory equipment. Marwa commended the efforts of various NDLEA units and urged residents to report suspicious activities through the agency's toll-free line or email.