OPERATIVES of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), have arrested intending pilgrims of the 2024 Hajj, as they planned to ingest wraps of cocaine ahead of their flight on Wednesday.
Narrating how the arrest was made, Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, in a statement in Abuja on Thursday, said its officials had raided Emerald Hotel, Ladipo area of Oshodi, Lagos State where some of the intending pilgrims were lodged.
Those arrested during the intelligence-led operation include, Usman Kamorudeen, 31; Olasunkanmi Owolabi, 46; Fatai Yekini, 38; and a lady, Ayinla Kemi, 34.
The four suspects were lodged in two rooms in the hotel, where they had prepared 200 pellets of cocaine weighing 2.20 kilograms to swallow when NDLEA officers stormed their rooms.
One hundred wraps of the Class A substance were recovered from each of the two rooms, bringing the total seized cocaine to 200 wraps. Two suspects were to swallow 100 wraps each.
Commending the Commander, officers and men of the Lagos state Command of NDLEA, which conducted the operation, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Agency, Brig Gen Mohamed Marwa (Retd), said the agency will continue to spread its dragnet to track, trace and apprehend criminal elements, who may want to hide under pilgrimage, to carry out their nefarious activities capable of denting the image of the country.
The NDLEA boss also stated that “the Agency will work with our counterparts in Saudi Arabia to ensure that the designated recipients of seized illicit drug consignments in any part of Saudi Arabia are also traced and dealt with accordingly.”
