Rome, March8, (dpa/GNA) – A woman sometimes known as the “queen of the Nigerian mafia”, landed in Rome on Wednesday, after Nigeria extradited her to Italy, following more than 10 years on the run.
Jeff Joy had been significantly involved in the smuggling of young Nigerian women to Italy, Spain and the Netherlands and was already sentenced to 13 years in prison in Italy. She was internationally wanted since 2010 for criminal association, enslavement, human trafficking and inciting prostitution, the Italian police said.
As a leading representative of the organization also called the “Black Mafia” in Italy, Joy forced women in their respective countries into prostitution.
According to the police, she was on the list of the 100 most dangerous fugitive criminals. She was also one of the few female leaders of the Nigerian mafia.
The organization is considered one of the most powerful emerging criminal groups in the world, because of its dangerousness and the international network in which it operates, the police said.
Joy was arrested in her native Nigeria last year, following close cooperation between the Nigerian judiciary and the Italian Justice Ministry.
An extradition treaty between Italy and Nigeria has existed for several years. Joy’s extradition is the first since the treaty was ratifie
GNA