Some intending pilgrims to the ongoing hajj in Saudi Arabia have been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) while ingesting wraps of cocaine ahead of their flight to the holy land.
A statement by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi said some pilgrims that were lodged at Emerald Hotel, Ladipo area of Oshodi, Lagos State, during the raid of the hotel were caught in the act of ingesting wraps of cocaine ahead of their flight to the holy land on Wednesday.
He revealed that those arrested during the intelligence-led operation include: Usman Kamorudeen, 31; Olasunkanmi Owolabi, 46; Fatai Yekini, 38; and a lady, Ayinla Kemi, 34.
He added that the four suspects were lodged in two rooms in the hotel where they had prepared 200 pellets of cocaine weighing 2.2 kilogrammes to swallow when NDLEA officers stormed their rooms. He said 100 wraps of the Class A substance were recovered from each of the two rooms bringing the total seizure to 200 wraps, claiming that two suspects were to swallow 100 wraps each.
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Agency, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (Retd) while commending the Commander, officers and men of the Lagos state Command of NDLEA, which conducted the operation, 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.”
Michael Olugbode in Abuja
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