Dutch Prosecutors Seek Record $253M from Fugitive Drug Lord Believed Hiding in Sierra Leone

Dutch prosecutors are seeking to confiscate a record $253 million (221 million euros) in criminal assets from Jos Leijdekkers, also known as "Bolle Jos," a notorious European drug lord believed to be hiding in Sierra Leone. The assets stem from cocaine trafficking, with Leijdekkers reportedly making 114 million euros from 14 shipments within a year, alongside spending 47 million euros on gold and acquiring luxury goods and real estate in Dubai and Turkey. He was sentenced in absentia to 24 years for murder and organizing cocaine shipments and is on Europol's most-wanted list, with a substantial reward offered for information on his arrest. Recent images showing Leijdekkers with Sierra Leone's president and officials have raised concerns about his possible ties to the country's political elite, complicating efforts to extradite him due to the lack of an extradition treaty. Authorities emphasize that the asset seizure is only the initial step toward uncovering the full extent of his illegal wealth. Dutch prosecutors and police remain focused on priority efforts to bring him back to the Netherlands.