Dutch prosecutors have announced a record €2 million ($2.2 million) reward for information leading to the arrest of convicted drug trafficker Jos Leijdekkers, one of Europe’s most-wanted fugitives.
The 35-year-old Dutch national, widely known as “Bolle Jos” or “Chubby Jos,” is believed to have been living in Sierra Leone for several years, according to the Netherlands Public Prosecution Service.
Dutch authorities have repeatedly sought his extradition, but Sierra Leone has declined to cooperate. The dispute has prompted the European Union to reduce some financial assistance to the West African country.
Prosecutors said Monday that the €2 million bounty is the largest reward ever offered by Dutch law enforcement and will be paid to anyone providing information directly leading to Leijdekkers’ arrest.
Leijdekkers, who reportedly uses the alias Omar Sherrif in Sierra Leone, is considered a major figure in international cocaine trafficking.
A Dutch court sentenced him in absentia to 24 years in prison in 2025 for trafficking more than seven metric tons of cocaine. He also received a 79-year prison sentence in neighbouring Belgium.
Investigators estimate that Leijdekkers accumulated tens of millions of euros through international drug smuggling operations.
He remains the subject of multiple criminal investigations in the Netherlands, including allegations of money laundering and involvement in extreme violence.
Despite mounting international pressure and multiple convictions, Leijdekkers remains at large.
