The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency intercepted a cocaine shipment at Emerald Hotel in Ladipo, Oshodi, Lagos, arresting four suspects.
The suspects were attempting to smuggle the drug to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj pilgrimage.
This information was shared in a statement by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Thursday.
The suspects, Usman Kamorudeen (31), Olasunkanmi Owolabi (46), Fatai Yekini (38), and Ayinla Kemi (34), were preparing to ingest 200 cocaine pellets (weighing 2.20kg) before their flight.
The statement read, “Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have raided Emerald Hotel, Ladipo area of Oshodi, Lagos State, where some intending pilgrims to the ongoing Hajj in Saudi Arabia were lodged and caught in the act of ingesting wraps of cocaine ahead of their flight to the holy land on Wednesday, June 5, 2024.”
The statement continued, “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 2.20kg to swallow when NDLEA officers stormed their rooms. 100 wraps of the Class A substance were recovered from each of the two rooms, bringing the total seizure to 200 wraps. Two suspects were to swallow 100 wraps each.”
NDLEA Chairman, Buba Marwa, stated that the agency would collaborate with their counterparts in Saudi Arabia to trace and deal with the intended recipients of the seized illicit drugs.
