These laboratories, where Mexicans have been working, have since been discovered in Kenya, Mozambique and South Africa.

Since 2023 “we have seen… 14 laboratories operated by Mexicans in total [being raided]. We saw the one from 2023. [in Mozambique]”We saw six more in 2024, we saw two in 2025 and we’ve seen five this year,” Griego said.

“Last year, when I talk about the five laboratories, four of the five are in Nigeria,” he added.

Intelligence from Africom and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency has linked some of the labs to Mexico’s two largest drug cartels: the Sinaloa Cartel and the New Jalisco General Cartel.

Testifying before the US Congress in May, Africom commander General Dagvin Anderson alleged that militant groups and drug traffickers have been working together.

“Terrorist groups based in Africa are funded to an increasing degree by drug cartels, expanding the reach and lethality of those terrorist groups,” he told lawmakers.

Unlike plant-based drugs like cocaine or heroin, which can only be grown and processed in certain locations, a synthetic drug like methamphetamine can be produced anywhere with the right chemicals and expertise, making it easier for organized crime groups to rapidly scale up production.

Known for its fast and long-lasting effects, methamphetamine produces a euphoric high, but with deeply unpleasant side effects. There is a serious risk of cardiovascular problems, malnutrition due to poor diet and, if injected, blood-borne diseases.

Withdrawal from the drug is also very difficult, as it often includes feelings of anxiety, severe depression, fatigue, and intense cravings.

As methamphetamine traffickers establish new distribution networks, beyond their historical routes, more people are exposed to the drug.