Nigerian Alleged Drug Baron Nabbed in Switzerland Amid International Crackdown

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), in collaboration with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (US-DEA) and other international law enforcement agencies, have dismantled a transnational criminal network allegedly involved in laundering hundreds of billions of naira from illicit drug operations across Europe and Nigeria.

The coordinated operation led to the arrest of an alleged Nigerian billionaire drug baron, Amadi Simon, in Switzerland, alongside two female associates identified as 34-year-old Jecinta Amara Ikechi and 28-year-old Blessing Ngozi Amadi.

According to the NDLEA, Ikechi was arrested in Anambra State, while Blessing Amadi was apprehended in Agbor, Delta State, during simultaneous operations conducted on April 28, 2026.

The agency said the arrests followed months of intelligence-led investigations involving authorities from Switzerland, France, Greece, and Nigeria.

In a statement released on Thursday by NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi, the agency disclosed that investigations uncovered a vast criminal network allegedly used to move and conceal proceeds of drug trafficking and other financial crimes.

The NDLEA stated that the cartel operated through shell companies, proxies, cryptocurrency wallets, and multiple bank accounts used to disguise illicit funds estimated at hundreds of billions of naira.

It further revealed that several luxury properties linked to Amadi Simon and allegedly tied to drug proceeds had been identified in Nigeria and abroad.

Among the properties uncovered are Jovi Hotel located at 1 Isiayei Street, GRA Phase 1, Asaba, Delta State; Jovi Hotel and Suites along Orikeze Road near the Deeper Life area in Agbor, Delta State; and Jovi Apartment at Jamieson Court, Mabushi, Abuja.

The agency added that several bank accounts and cryptocurrency addresses allegedly connected to the network had been traced and frozen.

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Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), described the operation as a significant breakthrough in the fight against international narcotics trafficking and financial crimes.

Marwa said the success of the multi-country operation underscored the agency’s zero-tolerance approach toward criminal networks attempting to use Nigeria as a base for laundering drug proceeds.

“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 said.

He added that the agency would continue strengthening cooperation with international partners, including the US-DEA, to combat drug trafficking, financial crimes, and other transnational offences.

Marwa also commended the support of the US Mission in Nigeria, noting that collaboration between both countries had improved intelligence sharing, tactical operations, evidence gathering, and case management.

“The NDLEA is committed to ensuring that Nigeria is neither a haven for drug traffickers who profit from illicit substances nor a sanctuary for their criminal proceeds,” he stated.

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