Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) raided the Emerald Hotel in the Ladipo area of Oshodi, Lagos State, where several pilgrims bound for the ongoing Hajj in Saudi Arabia were caught ingesting wraps of cocaine ahead of their flight on Wednesday.
An NDLEA statement released on Friday identified those arrested during the intelligence-led operation as Usman Kamorudeen, Olasunkanmi Owolabi, Fatai Yekini, and a woman named Ayinla Kemi.
The four suspects were staying in two hotel rooms, where they had prepared 200 pellets of cocaine weighing 2.20 kilograms to swallow.
NDLEA officers stormed their rooms, recovering 100 wraps of the substance from each room, totaling 200 wraps. Each of the two suspects was supposed to ingest 100 wraps.
Mr. Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy for the NDLEA, stated that the operation’s success was due to the commendable efforts of the Commander, officers, and men of the Lagos State Command of the NDLEA.
Brigadier General Mohamed Marwa (Rtd), Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Agency, emphasized that the NDLEA will continue to widen its dragnet to track, trace, and apprehend criminal elements attempting to use pilgrimage as a cover for their illicit activities, which could tarnish the country’s image.
According to Brigadier General Marwa, the Agency will collaborate with its counterparts in Saudi Arabia to ensure that the designated recipients of the seized illicit drug consignments in any part of Saudi Arabia are also traced and dealt with accordingly.
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