A major international anti-narcotics operation involving the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, the Drug Enforcement Administration and European security agencies has led to the arrest of a suspected Nigerian billionaire drug trafficker, Amadi Simon, in Switzerland.
The NDLEA announced the development in a statement issued Thursday by its spokesman, Femi Babafemi, describing the arrest as the culmination of a months-long multinational investigation into alleged drug trafficking and money laundering activities linked to the suspect.
According to the agency, simultaneous operations carried out on April 28, 2026, also resulted in the arrest of two alleged associates — Jecinta Amara Ikechi in Anambra State and Blessing Ngozi Amadi in Agbor.
The anti-drug agency alleged that the network was involved in laundering hundreds of billions of naira generated from drug trafficking and other financial crimes across multiple countries.
Investigators said the syndicate allegedly operated through an elaborate structure involving shell companies, cryptocurrency platforms and numerous bank accounts used to conceal and transfer illicit proceeds.
The NDLEA also disclosed that luxury properties suspected to be tied to the operation had been identified in different parts of Nigeria.
Among the assets traced to the suspects are Jovi Hotel, Jovi Hotel and Suites and Jovi Apartment.
The agency said bank accounts and cryptocurrency wallets linked to the alleged criminal network had already been frozen pending the conclusion of investigations.
Chairman of the NDLEA, Mohamed Buba Marwa, described the operation as one of the agency’s biggest breakthroughs against transnational organised crime.
He stated that the arrests underscored the importance of international cooperation in combating drug trafficking, money laundering and other cross-border crimes.
Marwa reiterated the agency’s determination to prevent Nigeria from becoming a hub for international drug syndicates and illicit financial operations.
He also praised the role played by the US-DEA and European security agencies, saying intelligence sharing and coordinated enforcement actions were critical to dismantling the alleged network.