Netherlands presses Sierra Leone for extradition of notorious drug lord Bolle Jos
The Netherlands is intensifying efforts to extradite notorious Dutch drug trafficker Jos Leijdekkers, better known as “Bolle Jos,” who is reportedly hiding in Sierra Leone with alleged ties to the country’s president.
According to AD, caretaker Prime Minister Dick Schoof met Monday with Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio during a European Union–African Union summit in Angola to request Leijdekkers’ extradition, a spokesperson confirmed. Sierra Leone has reportedly indicated it is investigating the case, but the country has no extradition treaty with the Netherlands, making Leijdekkers’ capture and transfer unlikely.
The meeting was notable because Leijdekkers is allegedly married to the president’s daughter and has a child with her, raising questions about the likelihood of his surrender. A Dutch government official said, “Prime Minister Schoof explicitly conveyed the request of the Dutch government to extradite the convicted criminal Jos Leijdekkers,” but declined to comment on Bio’s response.
Leijdekkers, from Noord-Brabant, was sentenced last year in the Netherlands to 24 years in prison for multiple cocaine shipments and ordering a murder that was never carried out. He must also pay 96 million euros to the Dutch state for profits from drug trafficking. In Belgium, he has been sentenced in separate large-scale trials to a combined 50 years in prison.
The Dutch government first requested Leijdekkers’ extradition in February. Previous attempts to engage Sierra Leonean authorities yielded no progress.
Caretaker Minister of Justice and Security Foort van Oosten is visiting West Africa this week, attending a conference in Ghana on drugs and organized crime, where he reportedly plans to press Sierra Leone and neighboring countries for cooperation. Van Oosten said last month, “This man belongs behind bars."
Leijdekkers’ presence in Sierra Leone has attracted attention due to relatively recent video footage showing him celebrating with local narcotics officials and distributing gifts to high-ranking figures.
The United Nations has highlighted corruption at senior levels of police and government as a key factor in the West African cocaine trade. Most shipments arrive in sea containers from South America before moving on to Europe. According to the CBS, the illicit drug economy generates over 10 billion euros annually in the Netherlands alone.
The Dutch Public Prosecution Service has offered a 200,000 euro reward for information leading to his arrest.
