The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has thrown more light into the latest busting of methamphetamine producing facilities in Lagos and Anambra State.
Clariform had earlier reported about the production facility discovered at Victoria Garden City (VGC), a high brow earlier on Lagos State, Nigeria`s commercial capital.
In the said Lagos facility, the Agency reportedly arrested a notorious drug baron who had been on the wanted list of the NDLEA for over 5 years. He was identified as “Chris Emeka Nzewi” in a leaked memo obtained by Clariform.
The leaked memo, which is said to come from the property owners and residents in the VGC estate, was signed by one Yusuff Morufat, in the capacity as the General Manager of the Victoria Garden City Property Owners and Residents Association (VGCPORA).
In a new development, the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Alhaji Buba Marwa, has disclosed more details about the suspects arrested over the crime.
The NDLEA boss said that prime suspect – “Chris Emeka Nzewi” the owner of the meth laboratory located in an apartment at K-5A/2, Road 14, VGC, Lagos actually lived in the property with his family, including a 3 month old baby, thereby endangering the life of his own family and others in the process.
Another meth laboratory facility was also busted in Nise community, Awka south LGA, Anambra state by the Agency according the statement by Marwa, the NDLEA boss who briefed newsmen on the developments.
According to Buba Marwa, Anambra facility was owned one Paul Ozoemenam.
Notable Quotes
The NDLEA said the following, “The owners of these two illicit meth laboratories were successfully arrested alongside Sunday Ukah from Aba, Abia State, the cook or chemist that produced the drugs for them.
“The laboratory in Lagos was set up inside the boys’ quarter building of a four-bedroom duplex. From there, we recovered a total of 258.74 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and various precursor chemicals used for the production of the toxic 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.”
“The owner of the laboratory in VGC, for instance, was producing this highly unstable and toxic drug in a house where he lived with his family.
“This speaks volumes about his insensitivity to the consequences of exposing his family, which includes 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 channeled into the septic tank and soak away in the compound, with a high risk of contamination of the water table of the entire neighbourhood.
“On average, the lab produced 50 kilos of methamphetamine every week with plans underway to increase the capacity of production to at least 100kg per week.
“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 US500,000 per kilo 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.”
