Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, working alongside the United States Drug Enforcement Administration and European security agencies, have arrested a suspected Nigerian billionaire drug baron, Amadi Simon, in Switzerland over an alleged international drug money laundering network.
The arrest was confirmed on Thursday in a statement issued by NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi.
According to the agency, the multi-country operation also led to the arrest of two alleged accomplices — Jecinta Amara Ikechi in Anambra State and Blessing Ngozi Amadi in Agbor — during coordinated raids carried out on Tuesday, 28 April 2026.
The NDLEA said months of intelligence gathering and investigations across several countries linked the suspects to the laundering of hundreds of billions of naira believed to be proceeds
from drug trafficking and other financial crimes.Investigators alleged that the syndicate operated an elaborate financial network involving shell companies, cryptocurrency wallets and multiple bank accounts used to move and conceal illicit funds across different jurisdictions.
The agency further disclosed that several luxury properties allegedly connected to the network had been identified in Nigeria. These include Jovi Hotel, Jovi Hotel and Suites and Jovi Apartment.
According to the NDLEA, bank accounts and cryptocurrency wallets linked to the suspects have also been frozen as investigations continue.
Chairman of the NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, described the operation as a major breakthrough in the fight against international drug trafficking and illicit financial operations.
Marwa said the agency would continue collaborating with global partners to ensure Nigeria does not become a safe haven for drug cartels and transnational organised crime networks.
