Operatives of the National Dr¥g Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested a widower, Ariyibi Ahmed Olaseinde and a divorcee, Akanbi Silifat Tunrayo, for allegedly attempting to export 14.4 kilograms of coc@ine concealed in lace and ankara fabrics to Saudi Arabia.
The suspects were going for lesser hajj in Saudi Arabia when they were arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
NDLEA’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, April 23, said: “Ariyibi was intercepted on Thursday, April 20, at the screening point of MMIA Terminal 2 during outward clearance of Qatar Airways passengers travelling from Lagos via Doha to Medina, Saudi Arabia.
When his carry-on bag was checked, four sets of white lace material with linings of substance that tested positive to Coc@ine weighing 11.50kg were discovered.
The suspect who claimed to be a widower and an advertising practitioner said his original plan was to ingest the dr¥gs but had to change his mind after failed attempts to swallow bitter cola, which he was using to practice the process.
He is expected to be paid N1,800,000 upon successful delivery of the consignment in Medina, Saudi Arabia.
The previous day, Wednesday Apri 19, NDLEA officers at the Terminal 2 of the airport also arrested Mrs. Silifat Tunrayo Akanbi with 2.90kg coc@ine during outward clearance of Qatar Airways passengers from Lagos via Doha to Jedda, Saudi Arabia.
A search of her hand luggage led to the discovery of six sheets of coc@ine weighing 2.90kg concealed in ankara fabrics. Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect is a divorcee and a trader who used to hawk cloths around Awoyaya area of Ajah, Lagos.
Based on information in her statement, a follow up operation that lasted through the night into the early hours of Thursday 20th April was carried out, during which the person who recruited her, Alhaji Adebayo Adeola Wasiu was arrested at Mushin, Lagos. Adebayo is the managing director of B&T Travel Agency.“
