'Bolle' Jos Leijdekkers and the Broader Developments in Dutch and International Organized Crime

Dutch Cocaine Kingpin “Bolle Jos” Still at Large as International Manhunt Intensifies

February 14, 2026: For more than two years, European and African authorities have been locked in a high-stakes game for Jos Leijdekkers, the Dutch-born cocaine trafficker widely known by the alias Bolle Jos. Convicted in absentia and on Europol’s most-wanted list, Leijdekkers remains a fugitive — eluding capture and drawing fresh international scrutiny as law enforcement ramps up efforts to bring him to justice.

Convictions in Absentia, Millions in Assets Seized

Dutch courts have sentenced Leijdekkers to long prison terms in his absence for trafficking large consignments of cocaine and orchestrating criminal activities spanning Europe. In 2025, a Rotterdam court ordered him to pay more than €96 million in confiscated proceeds of crime, one of the largest sums ever assessed in a Dutch asset-forfeiture case.

Leijdekkers was also sentenced by Belgian authorities after a separate in-absentia conviction related to smuggling operations and attempted theft of a 10-ton cocaine shipment.

Sierra Leone: New Front in the Manhunt

A breakthrough in tracking Leijdekkers came during the search for the fugitive in early 2025, after he was allegedly spotted in the West African nation. Video footage emerged showing a man believed to be Leijdekkers attending public events and social gatherings in the company of prominent figures and politicians — raising serious diplomatic and law-enforcement questions.

International Pursuit – Jos Leijdekkers’ Investigative Timeline

June 25, 2024 – Rotterdam

24-year prison sentence issued in the Netherlands.

September 26, 2024 – Antwerp

Belgian court delivers 10-year sentence in absentia.

January 2025 – Freetown

Visual evidence places him in Sierra Leone.

January 31, 2025 – Extradition Filed

Netherlands formally submits extradition request.

February 2025 – Nationwide Manhunt

Sierra Leone launches national search.

September 17, 2025 – Extradition Confirmed

Ministry of Justice confirms receipt and pursuit of case.

July 14, 2025 – €96M Asset Seizure

Dutch court orders confiscation of criminal proceeds.

The Netherlands has formally requested Leijdekkers’ arrest and extradition from Sierra Leone, but progress has been slow and complicated by politics and legal barriers; Sierra Leone currently has no extradition treaty with the Netherlands.

Opposition politicians and the wider community in Sierra Leone and the diaspora have publicly called for decisive government action in this case. They warn that harboring an internationally wanted drug trafficker could damage the country's reputation and attract more criminal elements.

Reward and Global Law Enforcement Efforts

Europol continues to offer a significant reward for information leading to Leijdekkers’ capture — reflecting his ranking as one of Europe’s most sought-after fugitives. European and African law enforcement agencies are coordinating information-sharing operations, but criminals’ use of multiple identities and cross-border movement complicate tracking efforts.

Echoes of the Past: Ridouan Taghi and Mocro Maffia Fallout

While Leijdekkers remains free, remnants of the Dutch organised crime underworld continue to make headlines. Ridouan Taghi, once the Netherlands’ most-wanted fugitive linked to the notorious Mocro Maffia network, was arrested in the United Arab Emirates in 2019 and sentenced to life in prison after a landmark trial known as the Marengo case.

Although Taghi’s incarceration removed a major figure from the streets, prosecutors say the network’s infrastructure — illicit distribution channels, money-laundering enterprises, and affiliated crews — persists in Europe and beyond.

Looking Ahead

As authorities in Europe renew their collaborative efforts, the spotlight on Leijdekkers’ grows sharper. Whether through international pressure, legal developments in Sierra Leone, or information from the public, the fugitive’s capture would be one of the most significant blows to transnational cocaine trafficking in recent years.

YAME Digital will continue to update this developing story as new details emerge.

Key Events & Criminal Networks – Taghi & Leijdekkers:

Taghi / Mocro Maffia —

Violent organized-crime syndicate led by Ridouan Taghi, involved in assassinations, witness intimidation, and drug trafficking; Taghi is imprisoned, but the network remains active.

Leijdekkers Network —

Major European cocaine trafficking group, alleged armed heists, and links to West Africa, notably Sierra Leone (no Dutch extradition treaty).

• 2019–2020: Leijdekkers’ network linked to major cocaine smuggling operations into Rotterdam and Antwerp.

• 3 May 2022: Dutch police place Jos “Bolle Jos” Leijdekkers on the Dutch and EU Most Wanted Lists; €200,000 reward offered.

• 27 February 2024: Ridouan Taghi and co-defendants sentenced to life imprisonment in the Marengo trial, a landmark organised-crime case.

• 26 June 2024: Leijdekkers was sentenced in absentia to 24 years for large-scale cocaine trafficking and ordering a hit.

• January–March 2025: Video emerges showing Leijdekkers in Sierra Leone, sparking diplomatic and extradition debates.

• 2 June 2025: Dutch prosecutors seek seizure of €221 million in assets from Leijdekkers.

• 25 September 2025: Belgium convicts Leijdekkers in absentia, sentencing him to 8 years for a 2020 cocaine case.