Three Bolivian drug suspects arrested in Lagos in 2012 told a Nigerian court they could not speak English and the court has not been able to find or afford interpreters to try them, an official of the country’s anti-drug trafficking agency, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said at a press conference on Saturday.

The official in charge of prosecuting drug suspects for the NDLEA said the three Bolivians, Yerko Dorado, Ruben Jorge and Hugo Chavez Moreno, have not been tried in four years because the court could not find or afford interpreters.

The suspects were arrested in Lagos for setting up a methamphetamine laboratory with the help of Nigerian collaborators. Drug trafficking is a bailable offence in Nigeria and it was not clear if the suspects were in jail or freed on bail.

The official told journalists that while the Nigerian suspects are being tried, the Bolivians have not been tried because they cannot speak English.

He was answering a question at a press conference on Saturday to announce the discovery of a super laboratory for the illicit production of methamphetamine and the arrest of four Nigerians and four Mexicans suspected to be involved in the drug business.

The latest laboratory discovered, which is located in Asaba, Delta State, was detected by the Special Enforcement Team (SET) of the agency, the NDLEA Chairman, Mr. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah, said at a press conference at the agency’s headquarters in the commercial city of Lagos.

“This is the first super laboratory discovered in the country,” Mr. Abdallah said.

“This laboratory is similar to the ones found in Mexico in terms of size and has a capacity of between 3, 000 kg and 4, 000 kg of methamphetamine per production cycle,” he added. A kilogramme of methamphetamine goes for about $6000, an official said at the press conference.

The NDLEA boss said “another significant feature of this laboratory is that the production process is more technical and sophisticated because it uses the synthesis method of methamphetamine production”.

from left dr lawrence opara ndlea director of training, muhammad mustapha abdallah ndlea chairman and femi oloruntoba ndlea director technical service

The eight suspects were arrested following raids in Lagos, Obosi in Anambra State and at the laboratory in Asaba, Delta State, Mr. Abdallah said.

“Those arrested include four Nigerians believed to be joint owners of the laboratory and four Mexicans who are methamphetamine production experts hired as technical partners into the country,” he added.

The four suspects are Chief Chidi Aruh, William Ejike Agusi, Umolu Kosisochukwu and Umolu Chukwuemeka. Others are Cervantos Madrid Jose Bruno, Rivas Ruiz Pastiano, Castillo Barraza Cristobal and Partida Gonzalez Pedro.

The large warehouse used for methamphetamine production   was discovered in an industrial area along Ibuzor Road, Asaba in Delta State.

The NDLEA said the four Mexicans were arrested in active production exercise inside the laboratory. Their residence was also traced to number 4C Ekulu Terrace, GRA, Enugu.

The anti-drug agency said the cartel first brought two Mexican methamphetamine experts,  Cervantos Madrid Jose Bruno and Rivas Ruiz Pastiano to Nigeria but because the size of the laboratory and the volume of work were enormous, two other Mexicans, Castillo Barraza Cristobal and Partida Gonzalez Pedro were brought in.

“Our investigation revealed that a successful test production was done at the laboratory in February 2016. The laboratory was raided while the to second production cycle was ongoing. Items recovered at the laboratory include 1.5kg of finished methamphetamine and 750 litres of liquid methamphetamine. Other items found in the laboratory include industrial pressure pots, gas cylinders, has burners, facial masks and numerous chemicals,” Mr. Abdallah said.

He said also recovered were a Toyota Tundra, Mercedes Benz Jeep ML and a Toyota Corolla car.

“This development is both a cause for worry and a reason for celebration,” Mr. Abdallah said. “It is worrisome because the rise of super laboratories will put Nigeria on the global spotlight in methamphetamine production”.

He said the process of production in the super methamphetamine laboratory discovered in Asaba is different and more sophisticated than the one employed in the laboratories earlier discovered in Lagos and Anambra State.

“While the smaller laboratories adopted the cooking method, this super laboratory uses the synthesis method,” Mr. Abdallah said.

NDLEA said highly poisonous solvents and gases were discovered in the laboratory. Some are highly combustible and corrosive capable of irritating or causing damage to respiratory system and even human skin.

Entering such laboratory without adequate production can damage major body organs, NDLEA said, adding that it will need N35 million to clean the lab.

Despite the big discovery, the 11th methamphetamine factory discovered in five years in Nigeria, no one has been successfully prosecuted, the NDLEA legal team said.