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Which law applies to money laundering offenders; criminal code or penal code? The Criminal Code and the Penal Code are the legislations which define offences and stipulate punishments for the offences. They apply to different parts of the country: the Penal Code applies to the North while the Criminal Code applies to the South. Even though the two legislations cover many offences, they do not contain specific provisions which relate to money laundering. The Money Laundering Act is the law under which money laundering offenders can be prosecuted. The Act deals specifically with money laundering offences. Other laws which prohibit money laundering and related offences are the Drug Enforcement Administration's National Drug Law Enforcement Act (1990), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004 and the Terrorism Act. Thank you Ebuka. This is interesting to note: "Even though the two legislations cover many offences, they do not contain specific provisions which relate to money laundering." If someone is an offender from the North or South, can the Money Laundering Act be independently used to prosecute the person? Public notice: please send in your comments, questions or observations you might have in this regard. Thank you. You are welcome. Yes, the Money Laundering Act can be independently used to prosecute offenders in the Southern and Northern parts of the country. It is a federal legislation and applies to all parts of the country.Money laundering laws in Nigeria