A global criminal organization accused of laundering drug revenues worth hundreds of billions of naira throughout Europe and Nigeria has been dismantled by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in cooperation with foreign law enforcement authorities.
Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy at NDLEA Headquarters in Abuja, made the revelation in a statement released on Thursday.
Along with two accused female kingpins in Nigeria, the operation resulted in the arrest of reputed billionaire drug lord Amadi Simon in Switzerland. Authorities also tracked down and froze numerous assets, bank accounts, and cryptocurrency wallets associated with the network.
Nigeria's expanding involvement in international anti-drug enforcement collaborations and the increasing sophistication of global drug trafficking networks are highlighted by the concerted crackdown.
What they're saying
What they're saying
After months of coordinated investigations and intelligence gathering, the NDLEA claims that agents from its Special Operations Unit collaborated closely with the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Lagos Country Office and law enforcement organizations in Switzerland, France, and Greece to dismantle the transnational criminal organization.
The operation, according to the FBI, was one of its biggest triumphs in recent years regarding international financial crime.
"A transnational criminal organization involved in drug money laundering operations totaling hundreds of billions of Naira across Europe and Nigeria has been successfully dismantled by operatives of a Special Operations Unit of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in close coordination with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Lagos Country Office and law enforcement partners from Switzerland, France, and Greece."
Simon in Switzerland, Jecinta Amara Ikechi, 34, in Anambra State, and Blessing Ngozi Amadi, 28, in Agbor, Delta State, were all arrested at the same time as a result of the multi-national sting operation in April 28, 2026.
Investigators claimed that in order to hide illegal gains from drug trafficking, the organization ran a sophisticated money laundering scheme that included shell corporations, proxy operators, conventional banking channels, and cryptocurrency platforms.
A number of valuable assets associated with the syndicate, such as the Jovi Hotel in Asaba, the Jovi Hotel and Suites in Agbor, and the Jovi Apartments in Abuja, were also located by NDLEA and its foreign partners. These assets are thought to have been obtained with money obtained from drug trafficking and related financial crimes.
Since then, authorities have located and blacklisted a number of cryptocurrency wallets and bank accounts linked to the network.
Since then, authorities have located and blacklisted a number of cryptocurrency wallets and bank accounts linked to the network.
Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), the chairman and chief executive officer of NDLEA, stated that the operation exemplified the organization's zero-tolerance policy on financial crimes and drug trafficking.
"The crackdown sends a strong message that Nigeria will not serve as a safe haven for international drug traffickers or money laundering operations," Marwa said.
He underlined that in order to combat increasingly complex transnational criminal organizations, strategic collaboration with international law enforcement agencies is still essential.
Additionally, he praised the U.S. DEA's and other foreign agencies' assistance with tactical operations, operational support, and intelligence sharing.
As authorities continue to work to dismantle the syndicate's remaining operational and financial infrastructure, the agency promised that investigations will continue.
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