The Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, has ordered the remand of two Mexican nationals and four Nigerians over their alleged involvement in the establishment and operation of an illegal laboratory for the production of methamphetamine.
The six defendants, Jose Ochoa, 56; Carrera Arturo, 40; Maxwell Nevoh, 30; Olatunji Yusuf, 37; Bankole Owolabi, 45; and Ganiu Monsiu, 43, were arraigned before Justice Nkeonye Maha by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, drug trafficking and the illegal production of psychotropic substances.
The case followed the arrest of five of the defendants on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, by NDLEA operatives in a forested area of Tapa village, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The fifth suspect, a Mexican national, Carrera Arturo, was subsequently tracked down and arrested on August 19, 2026, while allegedly attempting to flee the country through the Lagos airport.
According to the four-count charge filed by the NDLEA on Friday, the defendants allegedly conspired to operate a drug trafficking organisation and established a clandestine laboratory for the production of methamphetamine between December 2025 and June 2026 at various locations in Lagos and Oyo states.
The agency accused them of unlawfully engaging in the transportation and distribution of chemical substances intended for the manufacture of methamphetamine, a psychotropic substance.
The alleged offences were said to be contrary to Section 20(1)(f) and punishable under Section 20(2)(a) of the NDLEA Act.
When the charges were read to them in a language they understood, all six defendants pleaded not guilty to the allegations.
Following their pleas, Justice Maha ordered that they be remanded at the Correctional Centre in Ibadan pending the commencement of trial.
The court subsequently adjourned the case until January 26, 27, 28 and 29, 2027, for trial.
Meanwhile, 10 other suspects, comprising three Mexican nationals and seven Nigerians, arrested over a similar alleged drug manufacturing operation in Ogun State, have also been remanded in custody.
The suspects were arrested during an NDLEA operation at a forest hideout in Ogun State on Saturday, May 16, 2026, over their alleged involvement in the establishment and operation of another clandestine laboratory for the production of methamphetamine.
They were subsequently arraigned before a Federal High Court in Lagos, where the trial judge rejected their bail application and ordered their continued remand in custody.
The court also directed an accelerated hearing of the case to ensure the speedy determination of the charges.