•Shock as NDLEA uncovers methamphetamine production factories in Lagos, Anambra
…drug lord receives $38,000 weekly
By UCHE USIM
Members of the public were shell-shocked at the weekend when undercover agents of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) uncovered illegal methamphetamine production outfits in Lagos and Anambra states.
The development has galvanized the Chairman and Chief Executive of NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade to raise concern over the health and security implication of the dangerous factories, urging anyone with useful information about the ugly development to alert the agency.
Already, a Colombian drug lord, Gonzelo Osorio aka Fabian Arcila, who specializes in the quick set up of clandestine methamphetamine factories has been arrested and kept in the custody of the anti-narcotic agency where he has been assisting with all needed information.
For his expertise, the NDLEA say he earns a whopping $38,000 (about N5.96 million) from the drug cartel in Nigeria that invites him.
“It’s really a worrisome and sad development. Our investigation had shown that the Colombian methamphetamine production expert, Gonzelo Osorio aka Fabian Arcila and Baez Benitez Milan was invited to establish three clandestine laboratories on a 38,000 dollars weekly contract. This is sad and worrisome. It is a clarion call on stakeholders to pay priority attention on this dangerous twist in our nation’s drug trade”, Giade said.
The NDLEA boss also revealed that narcotic investigators have arrested seven members of the criminal gang who are helping in further investigation.
“The suspects are Gonzelo Osorio, Gabriel Onyebuchi Obi, Anthony Ebi, Olisa Cyprian Onyebuchukwu, Mickey Ezeokoli, Solomon Ogbonna and Chidi Alexandra Efeagwazi. Twelve vehicles belonging to suspected members of the cartel have been confiscated. In addition, four houses have also been traced to the criminal group by the agency”, he revealed.
Giade further said that the undercover operation that led to the crackdown on the criminal gang commenced in November 2011 when Gonzelo-Osorio was contracted by a Nigerian drug syndicate to establish three methamphetamine production laboratories in different parts of the country.
“The operation is one of the best coordinated in terms of duration, expertise and professionalism. The first clandestine laboratory Gonzelo established was situated at Majek area of Ibeju Lekki Local Government Area of Lagos State while another one was located in Nanka village in Nnewi area of Anambra State in Eastern Nigeria . The criminal gang were in the process of establishing the third laboratory when they were apprehended by NDLEA officers”, he noted.
Continuing, he said: “Gonzelo-Osorio left the country in December 2011 and returned on 30th of May 2012 with a false identity as a citizen of Paraguay with the name Baez Benitez Milan on his travel documents. He is regarded as the best methamphetamine production expert in the country and was hired on $38,000 dollars weekly by the drug cartel. While the above operation was on-going, a suspect was apprehended in Lagos for using his residence for a solo production of methamphetamine. The reality of the threat according to the Agency is that it is both a syndicate and a one man affair.
“The concerted efforts of stakeholders are required. The suspects involved in the criminal act are either ignorant of the lethal health consequences of their action or have simply been blinded by their selfish interests. Methamphetamine production endangers public health. More worrisome is the security implication due to the huge profit involved”, the NDLEA boss stated.
Recall that the first clandestine laboratory was discovered in June 2011 in Lagos . The second laboratory also discovered in Lagos early this year revealed the engagement of foreigners by local drug cells as three Bolivian expatriates who were running the laboratory were arrested and are currently undergoing trial. In all 5 production factories have been located by the agency.
Medical experts have repeatedly said that methamphetamine laboratories pose a serious health danger to the society. The risk of infection is also very high even after several years of abandonment.
The chemicals and the gasses emitted during production are highly injurious. Even residents living close to a production area are also at risk.
Consequently, the NDLEA has expressed readiness to stop the unwarranted health hazard in the country.
“Members of the public are thus urged to be vigilant and report suspected cases to the agency. Persons seeking accommodation are advised to investigate the history of the house before moving into new apartments to prevent health problems of houses used in methamphetamine production”, Giade stated.
This writer u r one hell of a poor writer. U couldn’t even point out one of the health implications of having such a factory. All u just said is that it poses health issue and infection. What type of infection for goodness sake!
Good job by the NDLEA. May God continue to resue us from these gangs.
Effort should be made to educate people about the structures and dangers of the labs and what they should always look out for.From the above only very little information is gathered about the effects and nothing about how to recognise the parts and their dealers.For safety purposes let us read more please!!!
izuchukwu, i dont understand your beef. The issue at stake is straightforward. Ur igbo brothers are always pioneering dangerous trend in our country- drug trafficking, kidnapping, raping, money doubling, fake currency production, fake documents production, currency and human trafficking, prostitution, subsidy scam, corruption, armed robbery,now metamphetamine production. what else is left????
These people will escape very soon and case ended cos they are highly conected and our security agents are good in this.
Mr rude if you are proud of your tribe to tell us where you belong I will tell you what remains, I think you are such a coward to hide behing a fake name to tribalise an important issue like this. I say tell us where you come from and we will see if the tribe you come from is not part of the evil in nig. I will be bold to tell you or any of your type that the Igbo is not the problem with nig. When the Igbo becomes the problem of nig, there will be no nig
Mr rude if you are proud of your tribe to tell us where you belong I will tell you what remains, I think you are such a coward to hide behing a fake name to tribalise an important issue like this. I say tell us where you come from and we will see if the tribe you come from is not part of the evil in nig. I will be bold to tell you or any of your type that the Igbo is not the problem with nig. When the Igbo becomes the problem of nig, there will be no nig.
chairman you have already said my mind….
I hate to be proved right, last week i said before de end of this week another crime will be comitted by nigerian jews n on friday de news was air about ingineous way of producing new killer drugs by nigerian jews. Nobody can tell me these nigerian jews are not cursed. Why does it have be jews always. Anytime there bad news in de country , it will be about nigerian jews. Hugo n stine chkee of this world are u not ashame at all. We know u will do anything for money but we never thought u will go to de extend of importing foreigners to come n destroy ur country n ur own very people cos of money. U nigerian jews are dispeakable. I will appeal to Yoruba leaders to seriuosly consider our strategy against these jews. A way must be devised to send or evacuate these jews away from our south west. If they can be forced to leave our region for jews’ land de better for us Yorubas. If ano action is not taken against these good for nothing nigerian jews i feel sorry for our kids future. Case study of inland of tanzania should be considered. South west leaders need to take action before it is too late. I can not wait for nogerian jews to get there biafra. Nigerian jews, don’t u have honour at all?. Well, how could u have honour when u can kill n sell ur own mother, father, son , duaghter n just anybody for money. How i hope this country can disintergrate right now, so these dispeakable people can goback to where they all came from. Useless people.
Mr kola amodu, I don’t know what you proved to yourself but what you proved to the rest of us about yourself is that one doesn’t need to be inteligent to use the internet or at least post a comment here.
Charman i realy don’t have time for kinds. U think u know me but u know less to nothing. U jews make me sick n i pray u get ur biafra soonest. I don’t think de rest of Nigeria tribes will lose anything if u nigerian jews should get ur biafra n we all hope u get it soon. Ur race happen to be de most irational n dispeakable have ever seen n met. I hope Nigeria Drug enforcement official will develop a system to combact de trend of bad activities of this country. Waiting for ur reply, chairman Hugo n stine chykee. If u reply i will let u know what Nigeria law enforcement official could do. Why is it has to be jews jews jews jews jews jews for nigeria evils?
Are we suppose to be talking like this, why are we being sentimental here.
We should watch the way we talk here, I think is a general issue and not a tribal issue.