Shocker: Illegal drug factories flourish in Nigeria

NDLEA officials with a suspect at an illegal drug factory in Nnewi, Anambra
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A little known problem steadily creeping into the Nigerian society is the rising number of factories where metamphetamie is produced.

The white, odourless and bitter drug easily dissolves in water or alcohol. It can be taken orally, intravenously or by smoking and snorting.

In street parlance, the drug is known as as ‘paya’ or ‘meth’. It became popular among Nigerian drug users for its capacity to enhance sexual performance and for its medical property as a pain killer.

For some time, meth was imported into the country by drug barons perpetually on the lookout for quick profits. They began to distribute the drug in capsules known as D10 and addicts found it easy to purchase it over the counter. 

Meth is commonly used by wrestlers and touts locally. Along the line, drug addicts found other substitutes for meth; ephedrine and procaine powder.

In 2010, Meth became central to the Federal Government’s campaign to rid the country of narcotics after the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency observed an outward flow of the drug from Nigeria to Western and Asian countries. This was the warning bell that foretold the possibility of illegal meth factories flourishing within the country.

Earlier in 2005, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime had raised the alarm over illegal meth factories in Nigeria and West Africa. According to a report published by the agency in 2011, there was an increase in the demand for the drug in Asia.  Some countries in South East Asia were said to have reported a 250 per cent increase in meth-related arrests between 2004 and 2009.

The Japanese authorities had observed an increase in the number of people trafficking in the narcotic from Africa to Japan. Nigeria was listed as a source country in West Africa alongside Benin, Cameroun and Senegal.

 Clearly, drug trafficking syndicates had expanded their network to include the production of meth. A UNODC 2012 reports lists an increase in the smuggling of meth to Asian countries, such as Japan and Korea.

NDLEA reports from 2010 till date for meth seizures at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, indicates that from the 83 arrests made, 62 of the suspects were heading to various Asian countries. While 38 were travelling to Malaysia, while seven were heading to India and Japan respectively.

Four of the suspects were heading to Thailand and two others were going to Bangladesh.

Indeed, more worrisome is the fact that foreigners have infiltrated the drug scene in Nigeria. Within a two-year period, a total of 284.583kg of meth were seized by the NDLEA; the largest seizure being 50kg of Ephredine that was destined for Mozambique.

The Chairman and Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, explained the trend to CRIME DIGEST. He said, “All over the world, the war on narcotics is tightening and drug barons are on the lookout for cheaper and easier alternatives that can provide the same euphoric effect as cocaine and heroin. Meth quickly became this alternative as it can be produced in laboratories; now it is in high demand in Europe.

“However, the snag is that there are very few persons globally who have the expertise to produce meth. That is why Nigerian drug syndicates are sourcing the expertise of foreigners to help establish meth laboratories. If Nigerians should master the art of producing meth locally, the health and environment implications would be disastrous.

“From our reports, the preferred destination for meth traffickers in Nigeria is Asia and the reason is that in most Asian countries, the penalty for drug trafficking is death. This has raised the price of hard drugs in Asia because of the risk involved in trafficking. As a result, it is more profitable for drug traffickers to ply their trade in Asia than in other Western nations.

“Every drug baron trades in the drug, which is certain to turn in the most profit. Currently, meth is the most profitable drug. A kilogramme of cocaine sells for N3m but goes for N12m at its peak. Meth on the other hand, sells for N12m/N15m per kilogramme on a good day.”

Unfortunately for the Nigerian government, drug syndicates in the country have turned their attention to this development and have begun the production of meth locally in the country. Between June 2011 and December. 2012, the NDLEA reportedly discovered five meth factories in the country. While four of the illegal factories were found in Lagos, one was discovered in Anambra. The first discovery was actually made in a place known as Monkey Village in the Iba area of Lagos.

Nearly all the factories, except the one found in Anambra, were sited in developing areas, thereby making it easy for the traffickers to carry out their operations undisturbed.

“All the meth factories in Lagos were sited in areas that still had many undeveloped plots. This makes it easy for the traffickers to work undisturbed because they usually don’t like to interact with their neighbours. Drug syndicates are unaware of the health hazards of meth production.

“At the Nanka meth factory in Nnewi, the suspect was using an underground apartment in his family home as his lab. The environmental and health consequences are endless; gases that are released from the production of meth are deadly, if inhaled. For every pound of meth produced, five to six pounds of waste products are generated. They can also cause skin cancer if exposed to the human skin.

“Then there is the matter of the solid waste that is released after meth has been produced. Some of the suspects had drilled holes into their fence through which they disposed of this waste on empty parcels of land near their homes. This waste kills everything around it; the soil and grass. Now if that waste percolates into the ground, it can equally pollute the ground water.

“ In one of the arrests we made, meth was already in production at the lab before we arrived. The workers in the lab were not even adequately protected; they were unaware of the danger they were in.

“Nigeria does not have the expertise to clean up a meth factory; we had to enlist the help of foreign counterparts to do this. Without proper clean up and disposal, toxic waste from the meth production process can remain present and active for years. Unsuspecting victims who live in dwellings formerly used as drug labs are among those at greatest risk because the vapours released during production are absorbed by the wall and floor surfaces,” Giade said.

Between June 2011 and December 2012, four foreigners were allegedly arrested by the NDLEA in connection with the production of meth in Nigeria. They were three Bolivians and a Colombian.

The Colombian, Gonzelo Osorio, was said to have been responsible for the establishment of three meth laboratories. A specialist, Osorio was reportedly contracted by a drug syndicate in Nigeria and paid $38,000 weekly to establish these candlestine laboratories. He had left Nigeria in December 2011 and returned on May 30, 2012 with a false identity as a citizen of Paraguay by the name Baez Benitez Milan.

Before his arrest, Osorio was said to have established a meth lab at Majek in Ibeju Lekki Local Government Area of Lagos State and another at Nanka village in Nnewi area of Anambra State. He was in the process of setting up a third lab before his arrest. Six more suspects, all Nigerians were also arrested alongside Osorio. They are Gabriel Obi, Anthony Ebi, Olisa  Onyebuchukwu, Mickey Ezeokoli, Solomon Ogbonna and Chidi Alexandra Efeagwazi.

Earlier in 2012, three Bolivians named Yerko Dorado, Ruben Jorge and Hugo Moreno were reportedly arrested in connection with an illegal meth lab at satellite Town, Lagos.  NDLEA operatives recovered 41.150kg of ephedrine, 4.8kg of methamphetamine, other chemicals and sundry gadgets from the lab. Another suspect was also reportedly apprehended in Lagos for using his residence for a solo production of methamphetamine. Wanted by the agency for their connection with the Bolivians are two Nigerians – Solomon Uzoka and Basil Uzoka.