The Netherlands requests arrest of wanted criminal "Bolle Jos" in Sierra Leone

The Netherlands will submit a request for legal assistance to Sierra Leone "in the foreseeable future" to request the arrest of convicted drug dealer Jos Leijdekkers, better known as “Bolle Jos.” There has been contact with the authorities in the West African country, the Minister of Justice and Security, David van Weel, reported.

The authorities in the country are “benevolent” when speaking to the media about this, said the minister. Leijdekkers is wanted in the Netherlands and can be arrested on that basis. Van Weel does not know whether Leijdekkers is still in Sierra Leone or has left.

Leijdekkers's right-hand man was arrested in Turkey in 2023 upon the Netherlands request, but the “most wanted criminal” was able to escape the country, said the minister. The Public Prosecution Service and the police have known for six months that Leijdekkers has been staying in Sierra Leone. AD and Follow the Money reported last week that the fugitive was in the country.

The police in Sierra Leone said on Sunday that they are prepared to cooperate with the Dutch government, Interpol, and other police services in this case.