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NDLEA busts two methamphetamine laboratories in Lagos, Anambra, arrests 3

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The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have raided two methamphetamine manufacturing facilities in Lagos and Anambra and arrested three suspects.

The NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd), disclosed this at a news briefing on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said the first one located in Victoria Garden City (VGC) Estate in the Lekki area of Lagos was owned by a drug baron, Mr. Emeka Nzewi while the second laboratory in Nise Community of Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State was set up by one Paul Ozoemenam.

According to him, the owners of the two laboratories were arrested alongside a chemist, Sunday Ukah, who produced the drug for them.

Marwa said: “The laboratory in Lagos was set up inside the Boys’ Quarter building of a four-bedroom duplex.

“The operatives recovered a total of 258.74 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and various chemicals used for the production of the drug.

“The complete paraphernalia of laboratory equipment such as gas cylinders, giant gas burners, industrial face masks, industrial gloves, tubes and flat-bottomed conical flasks, among others were also found in the facility.

READ ALSO: NDLEA intercepts tons of illicit drugs, arrests 5 in Lagos

“NDLEA is obliged to brief the public about this recent bust to raise people’s awareness of the danger that meth production constitutes to public health.

“And also to let you know the modus operandi of the barons involved in this unwholesome activity. We believe the knowledge will raise public awareness about the risk of meth production in their vicinity.”

The NDLEA boss expressed concern that the owner of the Lagos laboratory was producing the highly unstable and toxic drug in a house where he lived with his family.

He added: “This speaks volumes of his insensitivity to the consequences of exposing his family, which included a three-month old baby, to the danger of hazardous chemicals.

“If that is the case, that is an indication that public health was of no concern to him.

“In this particular case, aside from the laboratory being close to the kitchen of the main house, the waste from the laboratory was channelled into the septic tank and soakaway in the compound.

“This is with a high risk of contamination of the water table of the entire neighbourhood.”

Marwa revealed that the laboratory produced an average of 50 kilogrammes of methamphetamine every week with plans to increase the production capacity to at least 100 kilogrammes per week underway.

“Where do these drugs end? From our preliminary interrogation, we now know the drugs from this lab were both for export and local consumption.

“We also know there is a supply chain of distributors and buyers for export and the domestic market.

“When you consider the fact that the price of this dangerous drug was going for as high as $500,000 per kilogramme in the international market in recent time, you will understand why Nzewi cared less to put the lives of his own family at risk by producing this in the same house where they live.

“Hence, taking these two labs out of operation is a major feat in our continuing effort to curb the meth problem,” he stated.

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