Key facts
- Nigerian authorities arrested three Mexicans and seven Nigerians at a suspected meth lab in a forest, seizing over two tonnes of methamphetamine.
- The drug bust, described as Nigeria's largest ever, is valued at approximately $360 million.
- Mexican specialists are increasingly involved in operating meth labs in Africa, including Nigeria, Kenya, Mozambique, and South Africa.
- US intelligence links some of these operations to major Mexican cartels like the Sinaloa Cartel and Jalisco New General Cartel.
- The shift to Africa is attributed to pressure on traditional trafficking routes and the continent's suitability for production due to geography and labor.
Nigerian authorities have uncovered a sophisticated methamphetamine production operation in a dense forest, leading to the arrest of three Mexican nationals and seven Nigerians. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) described the May bust as the country's largest ever, seizing over two tonnes of the drug with an estimated street value of $360 million. This discovery underscores a growing trend of Mexican drug cartels establishing production bases in Africa, particularly West Africa, to circumvent traditional trafficking routes and access new markets.
Mexican methamphetamine 'cooks' are increasingly being found working alongside locals in clandestine laboratories across Africa, including Kenya, Mozambique, and South Africa, in addition to Nigeria. US Africa Command (Africom) intelligence suggests that some of these operations are linked to major Mexican cartels such as the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New General Cartel. Africom commander Gen Dagvin Anderson has alleged that militant groups in Africa are increasingly financed by drug cartels, expanding their reach.
Synthetic drugs like methamphetamine can be produced anywhere with the necessary chemicals and expertise, making them attractive for organized crime groups looking to scale up production quickly. West Africa offers several advantages for these syndicates, including vast forested areas suitable for secluded production sites, a large youth population providing cheap labor and a potential consumer market, and access to Atlantic shipping routes. The region's porous borders and weaker regulation of chemical imports further facilitate cost-effective distribution to lucrative consumer markets in Europe and Asia.
Authorities express concern over the potential growth of methamphetamine consumption in Nigeria, where a 2018 survey indicated high rates of illicit drug use. The drug's use has spread across the continent, becoming available in East and Southern African countries. The UNODC reported a significant increase in methamphetamine use in Europe and record seizures in East and Southeast Asia, indicating a global expansion of the trade. Experts suggest that increased scrutiny on traditional trafficking routes from Latin America may be a contributing factor to cartels diversifying their operations into Africa, though global operations by cartels like Sinaloa and Jalisco have existed for decades.