NDLEA Arraigns Drug Kingpin, Three Mexicans Over Meth Lab In Ogun

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arraigned a 63-year-old suspected drug kingpin, Anochili Innocent, alongside three Mexican nationals and six Nigerians before the Federal High Court in Lagos over the alleged operation of a large illegal methamphetamine laboratory hidden inside a forest in Ogun State.

Naija News reports that the defendants appeared before Justice Musa Kakaki on Friday, July 10, 2026, on an 11-count charge linked to the alleged establishment of a secret drug production facility at Mowe village in Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Prosecutors accused the suspects of producing 2,419.48 kilograms of methamphetamine with an estimated international market value of more than N480 billion.

Those standing trial are Anochili Innocent; Juan Carlos Meza Torrero; Nemecio Martinez Felix; Jesus López Valles; Nwankwo Sunday Christian; Egwuonwu Uchenna Victor; Igwe Abuchi Remijus; Ifeanyichukwu Chibuike Joshua; Omonughwa Kingsley Orike; and Nwobum Emeka.

According to the NDLEA, the arrests followed coordinated operations carried out in Ogun and Lagos states between May 16 and May 18, 2026.

Investigators said seven of the suspects, including the three Mexican nationals believed to have expertise in methamphetamine production, were arrested at the illegal laboratory hidden deep inside the Mowe forest on May 16.

The agency said Anochili, whom it described as the leader of the group, was arrested the same day at his residence in the Lakowe area of Lekki, Lagos.

The agency said more arrests followed on May 18 after operatives searched another property linked to Anochili at Mayfair Estate in Lakowe, where Kingsley Orike Omonughwa was taken into custody.

Officers later moved to another residence belonging to Emeka Nwobum, which investigators alleged was being used as a storage location for the drug network.

Court documents filed by the NDLEA alleged that the suspects worked together between February and May 16, 2026, to establish and operate the illegal laboratory for the production of methamphetamine in breach of the NDLEA Act.

The prosecution also accused the defendants of running and financing a drug trafficking organisation.

They were further accused of transporting chemicals used in drug production, including toluene, phenyl-2-propane (P2P), phenyl acetic acid, acetone and hydrochloric acid, from Lagos to the Ogun laboratory using different vehicles.

The charges also covered the alleged unlawful production and possession of the 2,419.48 kilograms of methamphetamine recovered during the operation.

Investigators told the court that they also recovered large quantities of chemicals believed to be used in making methamphetamine.

These included 358 kilograms of toluene, 1,834 kilograms of hydrochloric acid, 22.5 kilograms of acetone, as well as quantities of phenyl-2-propane and phenyl acetic acid.

A separate charge was filed against Anochili alone over claims that he knowingly allowed his land, where the laboratory was built, to be used for the illegal production of narcotic drugs.

All ten defendants pleaded not guilty after the charges were read in court.

The prosecution informed the court that the defence had already received the case documents on July 3 and called seven witnesses to begin the trial. Defence lawyers, however, requested more time before proceedings continued.

Justice Kakaki ordered that all the defendants be remanded at the Lagos Correctional Centre pending further hearing. The court fixed July 16 and July 22, 2026, for the continuation of the trial and hearing of their bail applications.

Following the court proceedings, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), said the case showed the growing involvement of international drug trafficking groups in Nigeria.

He said the arrest of three Mexican nationals indicated that foreign criminal networks were attempting to use the country as a base for drug production and export.

Marwa said the agency would continue to identify and dismantle drug trafficking groups operating across the country, regardless of their size or financial strength.

He also urged Nigerians to continue sharing useful information that could help security agencies uncover illegal drug operations and arrest those involved.