Dutch authorities offer €2m bounty for information on most wanted drug lord Leijdekkers

The Dutch authorities have announced a substantial €2 million bounty for any information leading to the capture of Jos Leijdekkers, widely regarded as Europe's most wanted drug lord. This significant increase from the previous €200,000 reward underscores the urgency of locating and apprehending the notorious criminal. Leijdekkers, known by his nickname Bolle Jos, is believed to have been residing in Sierra Leone since 2024 and his arrest is deemed a top priority for both the Public Prosecution Service and law enforcement agencies.

The 35-year-old Leijdekkers has a long criminal history, having been imprisoned multiple times in various countries for offenses ranging from drug trafficking to murder. In June 2024, he was sentenced in absentia to 24 years in prison by a Rotterdam court for smuggling seven tonnes of cocaine, involvement in an armed robbery in Finland, and orchestrating a murder.

A Belgian court followed suit in September 2025, imposing a 10-year prison term on Leijdekkers for drug trafficking and assault. His alleged complicity in the disappearance and suspected torture-murder of Naima Jilal, a woman who vanished in Amsterdam in 2019, further solidifies the gravity of the situation.

The Dutch authorities suspect Leijdekkers of playing a pivotal role in the trafficking of substantial quantities of cocaine from Ghana to various European nations. The reward is being offered in the hopes that any information leading to his arrest will result in his swift apprehension and ultimately bring an end to his criminal activities.