Court convicts Bolle Jos and 20 accomplices in 550 million euro cocaine trafficking case

Fugitive drug criminal Bolle Jos was sentenced by the criminal court in Dendermonde on Tuesday to eight years in prison for smuggling drugs from Sierra Leone to Antwerp. In addition to the prison sentence, he received a fine of 80,000 euros and a ten-year ban from ports.

According to the court, Jos Leijdekkers, better known as Bolle Jos, played a key role in the October 2023 trafficking operation that brought 11 tonnes of cocaine from Sierra Leone into the Port of Antwerp concealed in a shipment of palm kernel meal. The cocaine was estimated to be worth 550 million euros on the street.

Multiple media reports claim that the convicted drug trafficker is residing in Sierra Leone under the protection of the country’s president. Jos is allegedly in a relationship with his daughter, with whom he is said to have a child. Dutch authorities have been seeking his extradition, though their efforts have so far failed to produce results. Justice Minister David van Weel spoke in Geneva with his Sierra Leonean counterpart a week ago.

It was reported on Sunday that Leijdekkers' brother had been arrested in Istanbul. It is the third time that Harry Leijdekkers, 51, has been arrested. One year earlier, extradition was reportedly imminent. The older brother of the most wanted criminal in the was seen in a photograph kneeling on the ground, surrounded by heavily armed officers. Media reports say he was still internationally listed as a wanted person in that country.

A total of 20 of Jos’ accomplices were also convicted for the drug smuggling from Sierra Leone. The Dendermonde criminal court handed down sentences of 18 months up to ten years in prison with fines ranging from 4,000 to 80,000 euros, and several of those convicted received additional bans from accessing the port.

The cocaine was estimated to have a street value of 550 million euros. The investigation ultimately identified 22 suspects, of whom two were acquitted.

Jos is alleged to have coordinated the shipment of cocaine from Sierra Leone to Belgium. The container of palm kernel meal concealing the drugs was later collected by associates at the Port of Antwerp in Beveren.

A rival of Bolle Jos, who had previously been his close associate, was also present at the location. A conflict between the two sides ultimately led to the maritime police being notified, followed by customs officials being alerted.