Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have dismantled a transnational drug money laundering network linked to illicit financial operations worth hundreds of billions of naira across Europe and Nigeria.
The operation was carried out in collaboration with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration Lagos Country Office and law enforcement agencies in Switzerland, France and Greece.
The multi-country investigation led to the arrest of alleged billionaire drug baron Amadi Simon in Switzerland, alongside two suspected accomplices — Jecinta Amara Ikechi in Anambra State and Blessing Ngozi Amadi in Agbor, Delta State.
The arrests reportedly took place on April 28, 2026, following months of coordinated intelligence gathering and investigations across multiple countries.
According to the NDLEA, investigators linked the suspects to the laundering of proceeds from drug trafficking and other financial crimes through an elaborate network of shell companies, proxy accounts, traditional banking channels and cryptocurrency wallets.
Authorities said several high-value assets tied to the alleged network had been identified and traced both within and outside Nigeria.
Among the properties linked to the operation are:
Jovi Hotel
Jovi Hotel and Suites
Jovi Apartment
The NDLEA also disclosed that multiple bank accounts and cryptocurrency addresses allegedly used to conceal illicit funds had been identified and frozen.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Mohammed Buba Marwa, described the operation as a major breakthrough against international narcotics trafficking and associated financial crimes.
Marwa said the success of the joint operation demonstrated the agency’s commitment to combating organised crime and protecting Nigeria’s economic and security interests.
He also commended the support provided by the US DEA and other international partners, noting that collaboration with foreign agencies had strengthened intelligence gathering, tactical operations and evidence management capabilities within the NDLEA.
“The NDLEA remains relentless in its pursuit of those involved in narcotics trafficking and associated financial crimes, regardless of where they attempt to hide,” Marwa stated.
He further stressed that Nigeria would not be allowed to become a safe haven for drug traffickers or a destination for laundering proceeds of organised crime.
