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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced the arrest of four pilgrims en route to Hajj in Saudi Arabia on suspicion of carrying cocaine. The individuals identified as Usman Kamorudeen, Olasunkanmi Owolabi, Fatai Yekini, and Ayinla Kemi were apprehended in a hotel while ingesting wraps of cocaine ahead of their scheduled flight to the holy land on Wednesday.
According to Femi Babafemi, spokesperson for the NDLEA, the suspects had prepared 200 pellets of cocaine, weighing 2.20 kilograms, to swallow before NDLEA officers intervened. Babafemi stated, “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.”
The seizure included 100 wraps of the Class A substance recovered from each of the two rooms, totaling 200 wraps. Babafemi also relayed that NDLEA Chairman, Buba Marwa, commended the Lagos command of the agency for the successful arrest. Marwa emphasized the agency’s commitment to tracking and apprehending criminal elements attempting to exploit pilgrimage to tarnish the nation’s image.
Marwa assured that the agency would collaborate with Saudi Arabian authorities to trace and deal with designated recipients of seized illicit drug consignments in Saudi Arabia. This announcement follows previous interceptions by NDLEA operatives, including 1kg of methamphetamine concealed in containers of body cream destined for New Zealand in October 2023, and another consignment of 2.5kg of cocaine and phenacetin hidden in the walls of a carton heading to Saudi Arabia.
