By Joke Kujenya
FOUR INTENDING pilgrims to the ongoing hajj in Saudi Arabia were caught ingesting wraps of cocaine on Wednesday, June 5, 2024, by the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) when they conducted a raid at Emerald Hotel in the Ladipo area of Oshodi, Lagos state.
Femi Babafemi, Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA in a release he issued on Thursday, June 6, 2024, informed that during this intelligence-led operation, four suspects were apprehended namely: Usman Kamorudeen, 31; Olasunkanmi Owolabi, 46; Fatai Yekini, 38; and Ayinla Kemi, 34.
The suspects were lodged in two rooms at the hotel, where they had prepared 200 pellets of cocaine weighing 2.20 kilograms for ingestion.
NDLEA officers stormed their rooms and recovered 100 wraps of the Class A substance from each room, totaling 200 wraps. Two suspects were each to swallow 100 wraps.
Brigadier Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, applauded the leader and team of the Lagos State Command for their successful operation, emphasizing the agency’s dedication to identifying and capturing those who exploit the pilgrimage for illegal activities that could damage the nation’s reputation.
Marwa also assured that the NDLEA will collaborate with counterparts in Saudi Arabia to ensure that designated recipients of the seized drug consignments in any part of Saudi Arabia are traced and dealt with accordingly.
