Jos Leijdekkers, a 33-year-old Dutch national and one of Europe’s most-wanted fugitives, has been living in Sierra Leone for about six months, according to Dutch authorities.
Leijdekkers was sentenced in absentia to 24 years in prison for smuggling over seven tonnes of cocaine. Dutch prosecutor Wim de Bruin has made it clear that Leijdekkers’ return to the Netherlands is of “the highest priority”.
Leijdekkers, also known as “Bolle Jos”, was previously suspected to be living in Turkey. However, Reuters reported that he was spotted in Sierra Leone in January, attending a church service with the President of Sierra Leone and his wife.
Dutch police have described Leijdekkers as “one of the key players in international cocaine trafficking”.
A $210,000 reward is being offered for information leading to his arrest, the highest amount ever offered for a Dutch fugitive.
Leijdekkers’ presence in Sierra Leone has raised concerns about the country’s role in international cocaine trafficking. West Africa is a major transit point for cocaine smuggled from Latin America, and Sierra Leone has been implicated in several high-profile cocaine seizures in recent years.
