Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have busted two ‘Mpkuru mmiri’ (methamphetamine) manufacturing facilities called Meth Laboratories in Lagos and Anambra respectively.
The Chairman, NDLEA, retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, said this at a news briefing on Tuesday, August 1, in Abuja.
Marwa said that the first one, located in Victoria Garden City (VGC) Estate, Lekki, Lagos, was owned by a baron, Mr Emeka Nzewi.
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He added that the second, in Nise Community of Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State was owned by Paul Ozoemenam.
According to him, the owners of the two illicit meth laboratories were successfully arrested alongside Sunday Ukah from Aba, Abia, the cook or chemist that produces the drug for them.
The NDLEA Chief said that the laboratory in Lagos was set up inside the Boys’ Quarter building of a four-bedroom duplex.
He said that the operatives recovered a total of 258.74 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and various chemicals used for the production precursorof the toxic drug.z
He also said that the complete paraphernalia 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.
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, “he said.
The NDLEA boss said that 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.
He said;
It speaks volume about 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 said that the operation also exposed the interconnectivity among syndicates involved in meth production saying that the cook was hired by both producers.
