Two men have been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, over their alleged involvement in a Nigerian-Mexican drug trafficking network uncovered in Enugu State.
The suspects were arrested after NDLEA operatives dismantled a clandestine laboratory allegedly established for the production of methamphetamine in Eziama community, Obeagu, Awgu Local Government Area of the state.
The agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday.
The suspects were identified as 45-year-old Chukwu Christopher, popularly known as Brown, and 60-year-old Chukwu Monday, alias George.
According to the NDLEA, the suspects allegedly worked with Rodriguez Villanueva, whom the agency identified as a member of a Mexican drug cartel operating from Mexico City.
The investigation was reportedly coordinated by the agency’s Special Operations Unit after several months of intelligence gathering and surveillance.
The NDLEA said operatives tracked Christopher’s movements between December 1 and 4, 2025, across Lagos, Enugu and Anambra states before locating the compound where the illicit laboratory was allegedly being operated.
A search of the premises reportedly uncovered a fully equipped clandestine facility with improvised reactors and distillation equipment capable of producing methamphetamine on a commercial scale.
The agency said the discovery was similar to other methamphetamine laboratories previously dismantled in Ogun, Oyo and Ebonyi states.
According to the NDLEA, operatives recovered large quantities of chemicals and other substances allegedly used in the production of the illicit drug.
The recovered items included 690 litres of methylamine, 1,000 litres of isopropyl alcohol, 300 litres of hydrochloric acid, 290 litres each of toluene and acetone, and 400 litres of liquid sodium hydroxide.
Others were 125kg of N-phenylacetamide, 414kg of lead acetate and 769.6kg of tartaric acid, among other controlled substances.
The agency also searched George’s family residence, where it said eight large fuel tanks, four commercial gas burners, four dehydrators and 11kg of ephedrine were recovered.
Following the investigation, Christopher and Monday were arraigned before Justice Mabel Taiye Segun-Bello of the Federal High Court, Enugu Judicial Division.
They face five charges relating to alleged conspiracy, organisation, management and financing of a drug trafficking organisation, as well as unlawful possession of precursor chemicals allegedly intended for methamphetamine production.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The court subsequently fixed October 21, 2026, for trial after the NDLEA applied for an accelerated hearing.
Three other persons named in the charge remain at large, according to the agency.
Commenting on the development, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), said the agency would continue efforts to apprehend the remaining suspects allegedly connected to the operation.
Marwa commended the officers who participated in the operation, saying their efforts had helped to disrupt an alleged international drug trafficking network.
He said the discovery of the Enugu laboratory reinforced the agency’s efforts to prevent Nigeria from being used as a production or transit base by international drug trafficking organisations.
The NDLEA chairman also pledged that intelligence-led operations and international collaboration would be sustained to identify and shut down channels allegedly exploited by drug traffickers.
He directed personnel of the agency to maintain pressure on those involved in the production and trafficking of illicit drugs.
The Enugu operation followed other major drug seizures recently announced by the agency.
The NDLEA had reported the interception of more than 1.3 million pills of tramadol and other opioids, in addition to approximately 6,000kg of cannabis, during operations across several states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The seizures were estimated by the agency to have a combined street value of more than N3.4bn.
At the Tin-Can Island Port in Lagos, NDLEA operatives also intercepted 1,200 parcels of Canadian Loud weighing 603.75kg and valued at about N1.81bn.
The agency said the operations formed part of its ongoing efforts to disrupt illicit drug production, trafficking and distribution networks across the country.
