Sierra Leone launches manhunt for Dutch fugitive Bolle Jos
Sierra Leone has launched a manhunt for the Dutch fugitive Jos Leijdekkers, also known as Bolle Jos. The police asked locals to keep an eye out for the man believed to be the convicted drug trafficker, police commander William Fayia Sellu said in a press conference.
Leijdekkers was filmed attending a New Year’s mass in Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio’s birth village. The president and his wife were sitting two rows in front of the convicted Dutch drug trafficker. Three anonymous sources told Reuters that the woman sitting next to Leijdekkers is the president’s daughter. Unconfirmed reports say the two are married to each other.
According to the Sierra Leone police commander, they’ve established that the man seen in the recording is Umar Sheriff, a Norwegian-Turkish businessman. According to NOS, Umar or Omar Sherrif is a known alias of Leijdekkers. The authorities searched for the man in several places but have not found him, Sellu said.
Sellu repeated that the Sierra Leone police have “received no official communication from any foreign entity, including Interpol, regarding the alleged drug kingpin Jos Leijdekkers.”
Last year, a Dutch court sentenced Leijdekkers in absentia to 24 years in prison for involvement in drug trafficking and ordering assassinations. There is a reward of 200,000 euros for information leading to his arrest. He is on the list of most wanted criminals in Europe.
The Netherlands officially requested the extradition of Leijdekkers from Sierra Leone on Thursday. This was reported by Minister of Justice and Security, David van Weel.
"Today, the extradition request of convicted drug dealer Jos Leijdekkers was submitted to the authorities of Sierra Leone. I hope for swift action from the authorities in Sierra Leone in this fight against international undermining crime," the minister said on X.
