Dutch authorities say one of Europe’s most important fugitives has been living in Sierra Leone for about six months.
Jos Leijdekkers (33) was sentenced in absentia to 24 years in prison on June 25 last year, by a court in Rotterdam for smuggling more than seven tons of cocaine.
Dutch prosecutor Wim de Bruin said the return of the fugitives to the Netherlands was the “highest priority”.
“We are doing everything we can in this regard, but cannot comment further due to the ongoing investigation,” he said.
A spokesperson for the Dutch Public Prosecution Service (OM) said Leijdekkers had been living in Sierra Leone for about six months.
They said he was known by the nickname Bolle Jos and that until recently he was suspected of living in Turkey.
Sierra Leonean authorities have not commented on the claims.
Reuters news agency reported that Leijdekkers was spotted in Sierra Leone in January, when Sierra Leone’s wife’s president posted a video on social media of a church service she attended with her husband.
According to Reuters, Leijdekkers can be seen in the video. The BBC was unable to verify the footage.
Dutch police described Leijdekkers as “one of the key players in the international cocaine trade.”
A reward of $210,000 (£168,000) is being offered for tips leading to his arrest. This is reportedly the largest amount ever offered to a Dutch fugitive.
Leijdekkers is listed as one of the most interesting fugitives from Europol, the EU’s law enforcement agency.
West Africa is the main transit point for cocaine trafficking from Latin America.
January 17, Sierra Leone recalled its ambassador from neighboring Guinea After seven suitcases containing suspected cocaine were found in the embassy’s vehicle.
Guinean authorities seized a vehicle belonging to the Sierra Leone embassy and detained its occupants on suspicion of possessing “substances suspected to be cocaine,” Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister Alhaji Musa Timothy Kabba said.
“In light of this serious development, the government has urgently recalled Sierra Leone’s ambassador to Guinea, Ambassador Mr. Alimamy Bangur, to Freetown to provide a full account of the incident,” he added.
The visited envoy was not in the car and was not arrested, the minister said.
“It has not been proven that the ambassador is involved in this trade,” he added.
