NDLEA, international agencies arrest suspected Nigerian billionaire over alleged drug trafficking network

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in collaboration with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (US-DEA) and security agencies from Europe, have arrested a suspected Nigerian billionaire drug baron, Amadi Simon, in Switzerland over an alleged international drug money laundering operation.

The NDLEA disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday by its spokesman, Femi Babafemi.
According to the statement, the multi-country investigation into the alleged drug money laundering activities led to the coordinated arrest of Amadi Simon in Switzerland and his alleged accomplices — 34-year-old Jecinta Amara Ikechi in Anambra State and 28-year-old Blessing Ngozi Amadi in Agbor, Delta State — on Tuesday, April 28, 2026.
Babafemi explained that the arrests followed months of intelligence gathering and investigations conducted across several jurisdictions, linking the suspect to the laundering of hundreds of billions of naira believed to be proceeds from drug trafficking and other financial crimes.
The agency alleged that the syndicate operated an extensive financial network used to move and conceal proceeds of drug trafficking through shell companies, cryptocurrency wallets, and multiple bank accounts in different countries.
Investigators were also said to have traced several luxury properties in Nigeria allegedly connected to the suspect and his associates.
The properties include Jovi Hotel in Asaba, Jovi Hotel and Suites in Agbor, Delta State, as well as Jovi Apartment in Mabushi, Abuja.
The NDLEA further stated that bank accounts and cryptocurrency addresses linked to the network had been frozen as investigations continue.
Chairman of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), described the operation as a major breakthrough in the fight against international drug trafficking and financial crimes.
Marwa said the agency would continue to collaborate with global partners to ensure Nigeria does not become a safe haven for drug cartels and illicit financial activities.
He also commended the support of the US-DEA and other international agencies, noting that intelligence sharing and joint operations were instrumental in dismantling the alleged network.