Court remands 2 Mexicans, 4 others over alleged drug trafficking

The Federal High Court in Ibadan on Friday remanded two Mexican nationals and 4 Nigerians on the Agodi Correctional Centre over alleged membership of a drug trafficking cartel and operation of an unlawful drug laboratory.

The two Mexicans are Jose Ochoa and Carrera Arturo, whereas the Nigerians embrace Bankole Owolabi, Ganiyu Monsiu, Yusuf Akanbi, and Maxwell Nevoh.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Friday arraigned the defendants on a four-count cost of conspiracy, manufacturing, transportation, and distribution and possession of chemical compounds substances.

The defendants had been accused of creating an unlawful laboratory manufacturing facility for the manufacturing of methamphetamine, a psychotropic substance much like cocaine, heroin, and LSD.

Justice Nkeone Maha ordered that the defendants be remanded at Agodi Correctional Centre after they pleaded not responsible to the costs.

Maha additional ordered the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Adekunle Adebajo, to serve the proof of proof on all defence counsel and adjourned the case till November 26, 27, 28, and 29 for graduation of trial.

Earlier, NDLEA Counsel knowledgeable the court docket that the defendants being members of a drug trafficking organisation conspired to determine a laboratory manufacturing facility inside Lagos and Oyo states.

He mentioned the defendants with out lawful authority allegedly engaged within the manufacturing of methamphetamine, a psychotropic substance much like cocaine, heroin and LSD.

The counsel additional alleged that the defendants at numerous areas in Lagos and Oyo states engaged within the transportation and distribution of supplies for the aim of producing 1.260 kilogrames of methamphetamine.

He alleged that the defendants on June 17 at Tapa Village in Ibarapa native authorities space of Oyo state with out lawful authority engaged within the manufacturing of 1.260 kilogrammes of methamphetamine, a psychotropic substance much like cocaine, heroin and LSD.

The counsel mentioned the offences had been dedicated between December 2025 and June 2026 at completely different areas in Lagos and Oyo states.

The defendants, nonetheless, plead not responsible to the costs.

The NDLEA Counsel urged the court docket to remand the defendants at Agodi Correctional Centre and requested for an adjournment.

Counsel to the primary defendant, Mr. Echeme Ekeghe, knowledgeable the court docket that his shopper, Ochoa, was a diabetic affected person and advised the court docket {that a} correct software could be crammed with respect to the place of remand.

On his half, Mr. Benson Ndakara, counsel to the second defendant (Arturo) and Mrs. Oreofe Ogunleye, counsel to the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth defendants knowledgeable the court docket that that they had no objections to the prosecution’s request for remand. (NAN)