✈️ Hajj Cocaine Syndicate Busted: NDLEA Arrests 3 Kingpins in Kano In a major drug crackdown, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered a criminal network exploiting Nigeria’s annual Hajj pilgrimage to smuggle hard drugs to the Middle East. The agency confirmed the arrest of three syndicate leaders in Kano, following the interception of two Saudi-bound pilgrims and a businessman traveling to Iran, all of whom had ingested a total of 155 wraps of cocaine. This operation exposed how these traffickers were using the sacred journey of Hajj as a cover to traffic dangerous substances abroad — a move NDLEA described as both “criminal and deeply sacrilegious.” In a separate but connected bust, the agency also intercepted opioid consignments worth over ₦9.3 billion in Rivers State. The seizure included large quantities of tramadol and other synthetic opioids destined for illegal distribution. NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd.) emphasized the agency’s commitment to protecting Nigeria’s image internationally and curbing the rise of drug trafficking through religious and diplomatic channels.