“Sol Prendido” for Borderland Beat
Mexican cartels have expanded their influence in Africa. While they previously moved drugs to and from the continent, they have now established operations there to manufacture them as well. But what is the extent of the Mexican cartels’ presence in Africa, and why has the continent become a key hub for their operations and expansion?
Methamphetamine laboratories linked to Mexican cartels have been operating in Africa for years. According to AFRICOM, the first documented case occurred in Nigeria in 2016. Since then, laboratories have been located in countries such as Mozambique, Kenya, and South Africa.
James Griego, head of counter-narcotics operations at AFRICOM, reported that 14 Mexican-run laboratories have been dismantled in Africa since 2023—four of them in Nigeria. Specifically, links were found between some of these laboratories and the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels.
However, the most significant operation took place in May 2026. Nigerian authorities dismantled the largest clandestine methamphetamine laboratory discovered in Africa to date. More than 2.4 tons of methamphetamine and chemical precursors were seized, with an estimated value of $360 million.
Three Mexican nationals and seven Nigerian citizens were arrested. To understand the expansion of methamphetamine production on the continent, experts point to a key factor: the export of Mexican “cooks” to Africa. While plant-based drugs like cocaine or heroin can only be cultivated in specific locations, methamphetamine can be produced wherever two elements are present: the necessary chemicals and the technical know-how.
You might wonder, though: why did the cartels decide to expand into this continent? Africa offers numerous advantages. The first is its geography; vast stretches of forest provide ideal locations for setting up isolated, hard-to-detect laboratories. The second factor is logistical: West Africa offers direct access to Atlantic shipping routes, facilitating the transport of goods to Europe and other regions of the world.
Added to this is the fact that some African countries have fewer regulations regarding the import of chemicals used to manufacture synthetic drugs. There is also less surveillance at their borders. This facilitates criminal operations and allows them to cut costs when supplying highly lucrative markets.
In Europe, the latest report indicates a 47% increase in methamphetamine consumption between 2014 and 2024. Meanwhile, in East and Southeast Asia, seizures of the drug hit an all-time high in 2024. Demographics play a role as well. According to Femi Babafemi, spokesperson for Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Africa’s large youth population acts as an incentive for criminal organizations, providing not only cheap labor but also a market for local consumption.
This latter aspect is particularly concerning for local governments, as cartels are not merely looking to manufacture in Africa to supply other markets; they also see opportunities within the continent itself. Experts believe this expansion stems from a combination of factors.
One is the increased pressure on traditional drug trafficking routes. Since Donald Trump’s return to the U.S. presidency, Washington has stepped up actions against cartels, potentially accelerating the search for new routes and production hubs. Yet, that is not the only explanation—a view shared by Hugo Córdoba, a specialist with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
Córdoba asserts that cartels are following a business logic: seeking new markets where competition is lower. Consequently, Africa is no longer serving merely as a transit route; it is becoming a new production hub and an increasingly important market for these organizations.
Source: BBC News Mundo