Dutch offer €2m reward for drug lord Jos Leijdekkers
Dutch authorities have put a €2 million price on information leading to the capture of Jos Leijdekkers, a man they call one of Europe’s most-wanted fugitives. The 35-year-old, nicknamed Bolle Jos, is accused of playing a key role in international cocaine trafficking. Justice minister David van Weel said the reward was “necessary given the threat that Leijdekkers poses to national security, our democratic rule of law, and the international legal order.” Prosecutors say catching him is their highest priority and any tip-offs will be kept confidential.
In January, Dutch police said Leijdekkers was living in Sierra Leone under the alias Omar Sherrif. Photos appearing to show him with President Julius Maada Bio have surfaced, but the country refused to cooperate with extradition. The EU responded by reducing some aid. A Rotterdam court sentenced Leijdekkers in absentia to 24 years for smuggling over seven tonnes of cocaine, and Belgium handed him a 79-year term.
