Operatives of the Special Operations Unit of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), working in collaboration with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Lagos Country Office, and other international partners, have dismantled a transnational criminal network allegedly involved in massive drug money laundering operations spanning Europe and Nigeria.
The coordinated multi-country operation led to the arrest of an alleged billionaire drug baron, Amadi Simon, in Switzerland, alongside two suspected accomplices identified as 34-year-old Jecinta Amara Ikechi, arrested in Anambra State, and 28-year-old Blessing Ngozi Amadi, apprehended in Agbor, Delta State.
The arrests, which took place on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, followed months of intelligence gathering and investigations across several jurisdictions into what authorities described as a sophisticated international drug and financial crime syndicate.
In a statement issued by the NDLEA Director of Media and Communications, Femi Babafemi, the agency disclosed that investigations linked the suspects to the laundering of hundreds of billions of naira believed to be proceeds from drug trafficking and other financial crimes.
According to the agency, the syndicate allegedly operated an elaborate network of shell companies, proxies, delegates, and multiple traditional and cryptocurrency accounts used to conceal and move illicit funds across borders.
The NDLEA further revealed that several high-value properties connected to the alleged criminal enterprise had already been identified both in Nigeria and abroad. Among the properties traced to the network are Jovi Hotel located at 1 Isiayei Street, GRA Phase 1, Asaba, Delta State; Jovi Hotel and Suites situated along Orikeze Road near Deeper Life Church in Agbor, Delta State; and Jovi Apartment at Jamieson Court, Mabushi, Abuja.
Authorities also confirmed that numerous bank accounts and cryptocurrency wallets allegedly linked to the cartel have been identified and frozen as investigations continue.
Speaking on the development, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), described the operation as a major breakthrough in the fight against transnational organized crime.
Marwa said the success of the multi-year and multi-country investigation sends a strong signal that the NDLEA remains committed to a zero-tolerance policy against criminal activities capable of undermining Nigeria’s security, economic stability, and international reputation.
He commended the support and cooperation of the U.S. DEA and other international law enforcement agencies, noting that the partnership has significantly strengthened Nigeria’s anti-narcotics operations through intelligence sharing, tactical training, evidence gathering, case management support, and the provision of critical operational equipment.
The NDLEA boss assured that the agency would continue to deepen collaboration with the United States and other global partners in the ongoing fight against drug trafficking, money laundering, and other forms of organized transnational crime.
