Dutch Police Offer €2 Million Reward For Cocaine Smuggler Jos Leijdekkers, Believed in Sierra Leone

Dutch police have issued an unprecedented reward of €2 million for information that leads to the apprehension of Jos Leijdekkers, a convicted cocaine trafficker. Leijdekkers, aged 32, was sentenced in absentia for large-scale cocaine smuggling and money laundering, having been a fugitive for several years.

Authorities believe Leijdekkers is currently residing in Sierra Leone, West Africa. He gained notoriety after a series of decrypted messages exposed his involvement in extensive drug operations. The Dutch Public Prosecution Service stated the significant reward reflects the severity of his crimes and the sustained effort to bring him to justice.

Leijdekkers was linked to several major drug consignments, including 1,270kg of cocaine intercepted in Hamburg in 2020, and 275kg found in the port of Antwerp a year later. His network reportedly utilised the port of Rotterdam, a key entry point for illicit substances into Europe, underscoring the persistent challenges in combating international drug trafficking through major European hubs.