Harry Leijdekkers, Brother of the Netherlands Fugitive Drug Kingpin Jos Leijdekkers, Re-arrested in Türkiye

According to Dutch and Belgian publications, the brother of fugitive drug lord Jos Leijdekkers, 'Bolle Jos,' identified as Harry Leijdekkers, 49, was re-arrested in Turkey in May 2025, suspected of money laundering linked to Bolle Jos's drug trafficking organization.

Turkish authorities released photos of Alleged Abdullah Alp Üstün and drug organized crime group member Hasan Lala, who were captured in the United Arab Emirates with Sierra Leone Diplomatic passports, according to sources.

Harry Leijdekkers was detained in Turkey following an extradition request from the Netherlands.

The older brother of the wanted cocaine trafficker, Bolle Jos Leijdekkers. Harry Leijdekkers is expected to be extradited to the Netherlands soon, according to well-informed sources. He was scheduled to serve an 18-month prison sentence for weapons possession from a 2019 conviction.

Harry was arrested in Turkey in December 2023 during a manhunt for Bolle Jos. He was unexpectedly released from custody by a judge in April. However, after an objection from the Turkish public prosecutor, he has now been recaptured while awaiting extradition to the Netherlands, according to sources from a newspaper.

The Dutch authorities have been searching for Jos Leijdekkers, also known as 'Bolle Jos,' for several years. He is believed to be under the protection of high-ranking corrupt government officials and security forces in Sierra Leone and has been photographed at official events there. Leijdekkers is considered a significant figure in the international cocaine trade and was sentenced in absentia to 24 years in prison for drug trafficking last year, along with members of his organization.

The West African country has become a prominent narco-state, covering up for an international cocaine trafficker.

According to 'AD' and 'Follow the Money,' Bolle Jos is in a relationship with the president of Sierra Leone's daughter and is believed to have had a child with the daughter.

When a Dutch Drug Kingpin Needed a New Base, Sierra Leone Welcomed Him With Open Arms

Jos Leijdekkers, one of Europe’s most wanted men, quietly insinuated himself into the lives and businesses of the country’s elite

European Magazine New Lines has detailed how Europe's Most Wanted Drug Lord Jos Leijdekkers corrupted the corridors of power to engage in his cocaine business in Sierra Leone.

Leijdekkers is reportedly enjoying high-level protection in Sierra Leone.

Leijdekkers is alleged to have potentially financed luxury goods and vehicles for senior government officials, hinting at a web of financial influence and quid pro quo arrangements. West Africa, including Sierra Leone, is identified as a major transit point for cocaine smuggled from Latin America to Europe.

Illustration by Joanna Andreasson for New Lines Magazine. (Photo credit: Erik Cleves Kristensen Creative commons)

The alleged high-level protection has allowed Leijdekkers to evade European authorities, despite being sentenced in absentia to 24 years in prison for smuggling over 7 tons of cocaine. Evidence of these ties surfaced in January 2025 with photos and video footage appearing to show Leijdekkers at a religious service alongside Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio. Sources suggest Leijdekkers may be married to the president's daughter, further strengthening his position within the country's power structure.

“READ the article in detail, allegations about how convicted Dutch drug lord Jos Leijdekkers seemingly leveraged corruption within Sierra Leone to facilitate his cocaine trafficking operations.”

— Source: New Lines Magazine | July 28, 2025

Read the article in full.

When a Dutch Drug Kingpin Needed a New Base, Sierra Leone Welcomed Him With Open Arms

Jos Leijdekkers, one of Europe’s most wanted men, quietly insinuated himself into the lives and businesses of the country’s elite.

READ Article: New Lines Magazine