A Dutch court has ordered the confiscation of over $112 million in criminal assets from Jos Leijdekkers, a convicted drug trafficker believed to be hiding in Sierra Leone. According to CBS News, the ruling, delivered on Monday by the Rotterdam District Court, marks a major legal milestone in one of Europe’s highest-profile drug cases.
Leijdekkers, also known as “Bolle Jos” or “Chubby Jos,” was tried in absentia and was not represented by a lawyer. The court determined that he had earned nearly 127 million euros through illegal activities, including cocaine trafficking and large-scale gold purchases. Of that, more than 96 million euros, approximately $112 million, must now be paid to the Dutch state.
“With today’s ruling, the court has determined how much money L. (Leijdekkers) earned through criminal activities,” the judgment stated.
Prosecutors had initially sought a record $250 million in criminal asset seizures but the court applied stricter legal criteria, excluding claims involving unproven luxury assets.
Leijdekkers, 34, remains on Europol’s most-wanted list, with a $225,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. In June 2023, he was sentenced to 24 years in prison for organizing the transport of seven tons of cocaine and ordering a murder, again in a trial held in his absence.
Dutch authorities believe Leijdekkers is currently in Sierra Leone. That suspicion intensified after the country’s First Lady, Fatima Bio, posted photos and a video showing a man resembling Leijdekkers at a religious ceremony attended by President Julius Maada Bio.
The images went viral, raising questions about the fugitive’s presence in Sierra Leone and possible links to individuals in high places.
In response to growing speculation, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernoh Bah, criticized the Dutch government for publicizing developments on social media rather than using formal diplomatic channels.
Speaking at a press briefing in February, Bah revealed that Sierra Leone did not receive formal communication about the case until recently, when Dutch officials delivered documents through Sierra Leone’s embassies in Brussels and Accra.
According to Bah, the sealed documents were handed over just minutes before Dutch Justice Minister David Van Weel tweeted details of the case online, a move Sierra Leonean authorities saw as inappropriate.
The documents have since been received by Sierra Leone’s Attorney General, who is currently reviewing them under the country’s extradition laws. Bah emphasized that any decision on extradition will be guided by due process, requiring that the offense is recognized under Sierra Leonean law and that sufficient evidence is presented.
“If the evidence meets the legal threshold, the Attorney General will submit an application to the courts, where the accused will have the right to legal representation before a judge decides on extradition,” Bah said.
He also disclosed that Sierra Leone has made its own extradition request to the Netherlands concerning an individual allegedly involved in threats to national security. Unlike the Dutch approach, Bah noted, Sierra Leone followed proper diplomatic procedures without resorting to public announcements on social media.
Meanwhile, investigations are ongoing to verify the identity of the man seen in the viral images. Sierra Leone’s Inspector General of Police, William Fayia Sellu, previously identified the man as “Umar Sheriff,” an alias believed to be used by Leijdekkers.
