Dutch court orders fugitive drug lord ‘Bolle Jos’ to pay €96 million

The Rotterdam District Court on Monday ordered convicted drug trafficker Jos Leijdekkers, widely known as “Bolle Jos,” to pay more than 96 million euros to the Dutch State. The ruling follows a confiscation procedure brought by the Public Prosecution Service (OM), which had initially demanded a record 221 million euros in criminal assets. Leijdekkers, 34, remains a fugitive and is believed by prosecutors to be residing in Sierra Leone.

According to the court, the significantly lower amount compared to the OM’s claim is the result of applying a different legal basis and a revised assessment of Leijdekkers’ earnings from drug trafficking.

The OM’s original demand centered on Leijdekkers’ alleged investments in fourteen cocaine shipments totaling approximately 14,000 kilograms over the course of a single year. Prosecutors estimated the operational costs of these imports at more than 114 million euros. They also cited his expenditures on gold, luxury vehicles, and expensive gifts.

Leijdekkers is regarded as a major figure in international cocaine smuggling. In 2024, the court sentenced him to 24 years in prison. Belgian courts have also imposed lengthy prison sentences against him in separate drug-related cases.

Evidence presented by Dutch prosecutors included encrypted chat communications, which detailed large-scale deals and lavish purchases. Investigators reported that in less than six months, Leijdekkers spent 47 million euros on 975 kilograms of gold, in addition to acquiring properties in Dubai and Turkey. He allegedly bought multiple luxury cars, including two Bentleys, and high-end watches, jewelry, and designer bags, many of which he is said to have gifted to relatives. The OM has described the seizure case as the first step in uncovering the full scope of Leijdekkers’ wealth.

Earlier this year, images surfaced showing Leijdekkers attending a church service in Sierra Leone. In the footage, he appeared alongside Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio. The material was obtained by the Dutch newspaper AD and investigative outlet Follow the Money, which also reported that Leijdekkers may have close ties with the president.

The OM and Dutch police have said they are “completely certain” that Leijdekkers has been living in Sierra Leone since at least six months before the video was recorded. Sources cited by Follow the Money stated he moved freely in the country and may have obtained Sierra Leonean citizenship.

The Netherlands has no embassy or formal diplomatic representation in Sierra Leone, and the two countries do not have an extradition treaty. Nonetheless, Dutch authorities formally requested his extradition in February.

Justice and Security Minister David van Weel at the time expressed hope for “swift action by the authorities in Sierra Leone.”

Sierra Leonean police have since announced a manhunt. According to Inspector General William Fayia Sellu, Leijdekkers is believed to be using the alias Omar Sheriff while evading capture.