Dutch Prosecutors Raise Leijdekkers Reward to €2 Million

Dutch authorities have increased their reward for information leading to the arrest of Jos Leijdekkers, a convicted international cocaine trafficker believed to be hiding in Sierra Leone. Announced on November 2, 2026, the €2 million offer represents a tenfold increase and the largest reward ever issued by the Netherlands for a fugitive.

The 35-year-old, known as Bolle Jos, faces prison sentences totaling 103 years in the Netherlands and Belgium. Dutch prosecutors consider his arrest a major law enforcement priority and hope the increased financial incentive will generate information about his whereabouts.

According to Dutch prosecutors, the previous reward stood at €200,000. Authorities have also promised strict confidentiality for anyone providing information that could lead to his capture, stating that disclosures will not be shared with other police forces or Sierra Leonean authorities.

Leijdekkers received a 24-year prison sentence from a Rotterdam court in 2024 for transporting nearly 7,000 kilograms of cocaine across six shipments, participating in an armed robbery in Finland, and ordering an assassination. Belgian courts separately sentenced him to 79 years in prison.

Dutch prosecutors described his arrest as "the highest priority for the Public Prosecution Service and the police" in their announcement.

Authorities believe Leijdekkers has been residing in Sierra Leone for several years. Dutch police have also identified Omar Sherif as an alias he allegedly used there. Reports of his presence in the country emerged after he was reportedly spotted in Freetown in October 2022, arriving in a convoy of six vehicles.

Dutch authorities said they were "absolutely certain" he was in Sierra Leone in January 2025. Images circulating publicly also appeared to show a man resembling the fugitive alongside senior political figures, including individuals connected to President Julius Maada Bio.

The investigation has also raised concerns about Leijdekkers' alleged involvement in the disappearance of Naima Jillal, who vanished in Amsterdam in 2019 after entering a car. Europol identified him as an important figure in the case.

Intercepted communications allegedly indicated that Leijdekkers "played an important role in Jillal's disappearance," according to Europol.

The European law enforcement agency also described photographic evidence recovered during the Marengo investigation.

"For a long time, there was no trace of Naima Jillal, until photos of a woman believed to be her were found on a phone seized in the Marengo investigation. The photos show that she was most likely tortured and is probably no longer alive," Europol said.

Leijdekkers' continued presence in Sierra Leone has created diplomatic tensions between the two countries. The Netherlands has sought his extradition, but Sierra Leone has refused to cooperate with the transfer.

Dutch Justice Minister David van Weel said the European Union had withheld €18 million in budget assistance to Sierra Leone over the unresolved extradition dispute. Sierra Leone's government disputed the connection, maintaining that the delayed payments resulted from "procedural issues."

Sierra Leonean officials have also criticized the Dutch government's approach. Authorities described the pressure as "scandalous" and accused Van Weel of engaging in "neo-colonialism."

Chief Minister David Moinina Sengeh questioned the Dutch allegations and challenged authorities to provide evidence of the fugitive's location.

"Hand on heart, our security intelligence does not know where Leijdekkers is. If they know, show the pictures," Sengeh said.

Dutch authorities maintain that locating and arresting Leijdekkers remains a priority, with the increased €2 million reward intended to encourage new information about the fugitive's whereabouts.