NDLEA, DEA Dismantle Transnational Drug Money Laundering Network

Operatives from Nigeria's National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in coordination with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and law enforcement agencies from Switzerland, France, and Greece, dismantled a transnational drug money laundering network on April 28, 2026, arresting a suspected billionaire drug baron and two associates.

The simultaneous arrests targeted Amadi Simon, identified as the ringleader, in Switzerland; Jecinta Amara Ikechi, 34, in Anambra State; and Blessing Ngozi Amadi, 28, in Agbor, Delta State. According to NDLEA officials, the operation followed months of intelligence-led investigations across multiple jurisdictions, which linked the suspects to laundering hundreds of billions of naira in proceeds from drug trafficking and financial crimes.

The syndicate employed a sophisticated scheme involving shell companies, front entities, pass-through accounts, traditional bank accounts, and cryptocurrency wallets to conceal and transfer illicit funds between Nigeria and Europe. Investigators traced several properties to the network, including Jovi Hotel at 1 Isiayei Street, GRA Phase 1, Asaba, Delta State; Jovi Hotel and Suites at 4 Orikeze...