Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have arrested four intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia with cocaine consignments in Lagos.

Spokesman for the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

Mr Babafemi said that the NDLEA operatives raided Emerald Hotel, Ladipo, Oshodi, Lagos State, on June 5.

He said the intending pilgrims were caught in the act of ingesting wraps of cocaine ahead of their flight to the holy land.

According to him, those arrested during the intelligence-led operation include Usman Kamorudeen, 31; Olasunkanmi Owolabi, 46; Fatai Yekini, 38 and a lady, Ayinla Kemi, 34.

He said, “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. 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.’’

Mr Babafemi quoted the NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, as commending the commander, officers and men of the Lagos State command who conducted the operation.

Mr Marwa said the agency would continue to spread its dragnet to track, trace and apprehend criminal elements.

This, he said, included those who may want to hide under pilgrimage to carry out their nefarious activities capable of denting the country’s image.

He added, “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,” he said.

(NAN)