Latest news with #Leijdekkers
Sunday World
2 days ago
- Business
- Sunday World
Dutch officials demand record $250m from fugitive drug lord hiding in Africa
The fugitive drug trafficker Jos Leijdekkers, also known as Bolle Jos or 'Chubby Jos', is believed to be in Sierra Leone Leijdekkers is also known as Bolle Jos or 'Chubby Jos" Dutch prosecutors are to confiscate a record $250 million from one of Europe's most-wanted criminals. The fugitive drug trafficker Jos Leijdekkers, also known as Bolle Jos or 'Chubby Jos', is believed to be hiding over 4,000 miles away in Sierra Leone. Leijdekkers is believed to have made €114m from 14 cocaine shipments in less than a year. As well as real estate including a hotel in Turkey and apartments in Dubai, public prosecutors say the 33-year-old also spent €47m on 975 kilograms of gold in less than six months. Intercepted communications point to other luxury goods hoovered up by the drugs kingpin, including two Bentley cars, designer bags, jewellery and watches. There are all added to the total of illicit assets, bringing the total to $253 million, which is 'only a first step towards tracing Leijdekkers' assets,' prosecutors have said Leijdekkers was sentenced in absentia to 24 years in prison for ordering a murder and organising cocaine shipments by a Rotterdam court last June. The fugitive drug trafficker, Jos Leijdekkers, pictured in Sierra Leone News in 90 June 4th Considered to be 'one of the key players in international cocaine trafficking," according to Europol, he is on their most-wanted list, with the European police body offering over $225,000 for information leading to his arrest. Dutch authorities said they were "absolutely certain" he was hiding out in Sierra Leone last January, when the BBC reported that Dutch prosecutor Wim de Bruin said the fugitive's return to the Netherlands was of "the highest priority." Suspicions he was in Sierra Leone arose after the country's first lady Fatima Bio posted pictures and a video on social media that showed a man strongly resembling Leijdekkers at a religious service. Images apparently showing Leijdekkers in the company of officials as high as President Julius Maada Bio and his daughter prompted exiled Sierra Leone opposition figure Mohamed Mansaray to accused Bio and his government of "offering refuge" to the drug lord. According to Mansaray, Leijdekkers has coupled up with the president's daughter Agnes Bio, who is seen accompanying the drug lord in the images. Leijdekkers is also known as Bolle Jos or 'Chubby Jos" Europol also believe that Leijdekkers was involved in the disappearance and death of Naima Jillal, a woman who went missing in 2019 after she got into a car in Amsterdam Intercepted messages allegedly showed that Leijdekkers "played an important role in Jillal's disappearance," the agency said. "For a long time, there was no trace of Naima Jillal, until photos of a woman believed to be her were found on a phone seized in the Marengo investigation," Europol said. "The photos show that she was most likely tortured and is probably no longer alive." In April, we reported how journalists were being actively bribed and threatened to stop reporting on Leijdekkers. Several reporters, who are in hiding, told John van den Heuvel, a journalist for Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, that the government of Sierra Leone had offered them sums of up to €5,000 to cease the publication of details about their connection to the most wanted person in the Netherlands. Reporters who are not accepting the money are being threatened. The journalists have said that €5k is 'unprecedentedly high by African standards' which to them indicates how important it is to those in power that the story is kept quiet. Fearing for their lives and the lives of their loved ones, some reporters have fled the country. One journalist who has applied for political asylum in the United States told De Telegraaf: 'There is no freedom of the press in our country. 'Our government, including the president, facilitates the criminal group to which Leijdekkers belongs. 'Journalists no longer dare to write about the matter. It is extremely dangerous.' Bolle Jos, which means 'Tubby Jos' in Dutch, is hiding in the African country while on the run and according to investigative journalists at Follow The Money, he was filmed handing Alusine Kanneh, the country's head of immigration, a birthday present in March. The publication says that according to 'well-placed sources' the 33-year-old is in a relationship with Agnes Bio, who is the daughter of president Julius Maada Bio. De Telegraaf further reported she is pregnant with his child. They also report that the Sierra Leone government has 'barely responded' to several diplomatic and legal assistance requests made by the Netherlands as they try to extradite the man Europol once described as 'one of the key players in international cocaine smuggling'. Following the media storm around Jos Leijdekkers' presence in Sierra Leone, the government released a press statement that claimed the president had 'no knowledge of the identity and the issues detailed in the reports about the individual in question.' They further claimed to launch a 'transparent and through investigation' to establish the facts. A month later the Inspector General of Police (IGP), William Fayia Sellu, claimed that following an investigation, they found the man accused of being Leijdekkers, is actually a man named Omarr Sheriff. It is unclear if Jos is living under an assumed name or if they're claiming it's a case of mistaken identity. Bolle Jos' wife Hanane is also looking for him as she wants her son, who has been living with him illegally for the last two years, returned to her.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Prosecutors seek record $250 million from fugitive drug lord
Dutch prosecutors said Monday they were seeking to confiscate a record $253 million from one of Europe's most notorious drug lords, thought to be hiding in Sierra Leone. The illegal assets amassed by Jos Leijdekkers, also known as "Bolle Jos" or "Chubby Jos," were proceeds from cocaine trafficking, as well as purchases of gold and luxury items, the public prosecutors said. Leijdekkers is thought to have made 114 million euros from 14 cocaine shipments over less than a year. According to intercepted communications, the 33-year-old also spent 47 million euros on 975 kilograms of gold over less than six months. The kingpin additionally bought real estate including a hotel in Turkey and apartments in Dubai, the prosecutors alleged. Luxury goods including two Bentley cars, designer bags, jewellery and watches, were also added to the total of illicit assets, bringing the total to $253 million. "This is... only a first step towards tracing Leijdekkers' assets," the prosecutors said. A Rotterdam court last June sentenced Leijdekkers in absentia to 24 years in prison for ordering a murder and organizing cocaine shipments. He is on Europol's most-wanted list, with the European police body offering over $225,000 for information leading to his arrest. "Leijdekkers is considered to be one of the key players in international cocaine trafficking," according to Europol. In January, Dutch authorities said they were "absolutely certain" he was hiding out in Sierra Leone. The BBC reported that Dutch prosecutor Wim de Bruin said the fugitive's return to the Netherlands was of "the highest priority." Images apparently showing Leijdekkers in the company of officials as high as President Julius Maada Bio have sparked speculation the cocaine lord has cozied up to Sierra Leone's political class -- including the president's daughter. Suspicions he was in Sierra Leone arose after the country's First Lady Fatima Bio posted pictures and a video on social media that showed a man strongly resembling Leijdekkers at a religious service, also attended by President Bio. Exiled Sierra Leone opposition figure Mohamed Mansaray has accused Bio and his government of "offering refuge" to the drug lord. According to Mansaray, Leijdekkers has coupled up with the president's daughter Agnes Bio, who is seen accompanying the drug lord in the images. Leijdekkers is also believed to be involved in the disappearance and death of Naima Jillal, a woman who went missing in 2019 after she got into a car in Amsterdam, according to Europol. Intercepted messages allegedly showed that Leijdekkers "played an important role in Jillal's disappearance," the agency said. "For a long time, there was no trace of Naima Jillal, until photos of a woman believed to be her were found on a phone seized in the Marengo investigation," Europol said. "The photos show that she was most likely tortured and is probably no longer alive." January 6 defendant refuses Trump's pardon The wonderfully weird world of artist Luigi Serafini Everything we know about the Boulder attack on Israeli hostage march
CBS News
3 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Dutch prosecutors seek record $250 million from fugitive drug lord believed to be hiding over 4,000 miles away
Dutch prosecutors said Monday they were seeking to confiscate a record $253 million from one of Europe's most notorious drug lords, thought to be hiding in Sierra Leone. The illegal assets amassed by Jos Leijdekkers, also known as "Bolle Jos" or "Chubby Jos," were proceeds from cocaine trafficking, as well as purchases of gold and luxury items, the public prosecutors said. Leijdekkers is thought to have made 114 million euros from 14 cocaine shipments over less than a year. According to intercepted communications, the 33-year-old also spent 47 million euros on 975 kilograms of gold over less than six months. The kingpin additionally bought real estate including a hotel in Turkey and apartments in Dubai, the prosecutors alleged. Luxury goods including two Bentley cars, designer bags, jewellery and watches, were also added to the total of illicit assets, bringing the total to $253 million. "This is... only a first step towards tracing Leijdekkers' assets," the prosecutors said. Convicted cocaine smuggler Jos Leijdekkers attends a church service in Tihun, Sierra Leone, January 1, 2025, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. First Lady Fatima Maada Bio via Facebook/via REUTERS A Rotterdam court last June sentenced Leijdekkers in absentia to 24 years in prison for ordering a murder and organizing cocaine shipments. He is on Europol's most-wanted list, with the European police body offering over $225,000 for information leading to his arrest. "Leijdekkers is considered to be one of the key players in international cocaine trafficking," according to Europol. In January, Dutch authorities said they were "absolutely certain" he was hiding out in Sierra Leone. The BBC reported that Dutch prosecutor Wim de Bruin said the fugitive's return to the Netherlands was of "the highest priority." Images apparently showing Leijdekkers in the company of officials as high as President Julius Maada Bio have sparked speculation the cocaine lord has cozied up to Sierra Leone's political class -- including the president's daughter. Suspicions he was in Sierra Leone arose after the country's First Lady Fatima Bio posted pictures and a video on social media that showed a man strongly resembling Leijdekkers at a religious service, also attended by President Bio. Exiled Sierra Leone opposition figure Mohamed Mansaray has accused Bio and his government of "offering refuge" to the drug lord. According to Mansaray, Leijdekkers has coupled up with the president's daughter Agnes Bio, who is seen accompanying the drug lord in the images. Leijdekkers is also believed to be involved in the disappearance and death of Naima Jillal, a woman who went missing in 2019 after she got into a car in Amsterdam, according to Europol. Intercepted messages allegedly showed that Leijdekkers "played an important role in Jillal's disappearance," the agency said. "For a long time, there was no trace of Naima Jillal, until photos of a woman believed to be her were found on a phone seized in the Marengo investigation," Europol said. "The photos show that she was most likely tortured and is probably no longer alive."
The Guardian
11-03-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Sierra Leone's immigration chief fired after footage showed him with fugitive drug lord
Sierra Leone's president has fired the head of the immigration service days after footage was published showing him receiving a birthday gift from a fugitive Dutch drug kingpin. The footage of Alusine Kanneh being handed a present by Johannes Leijdekkers – which has not been independently verified by the Guardian – was published by the investigative outlet Follow the Money and the Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad on Friday. The dinner is understood to have been held in an upmarket restaurant in Freetown, the country's capital. Leijdekkers, 33, one of Europe's most wanted fugitives, was sentenced in absentia to 24 years in prison for drug smuggling by a Rotterdam court last June. Kanneh was relieved of his duties the same day the reports were published but authorities in Freetown did not disclose the reason for his dismissal in a short statement by the presidential secretary. For months speculation has swirled in the west African country that Kanneh and other members of the political elite had been helping Leijdekkers accumulate influence. In February, a Guardian investigation established that Leijdekkers had been in the country since at least 2022 and had spent time at nightclubs and house parties. A Reuters report in January placed him at a New Year's Day church service in President Julius Maada Bio's home town, sitting near the leader's daughter Agnes Bio, with whom he is believed to be in a relationship. Days before that event, the immigration ministry introduced an investment-for-citizenship scheme under Kanneh's direction. Called Go-for-Gold, it offers a fast-track path to citizenship in 90 days for investors willing to pay $140,000 (£108,000). The traditional route to naturalisation involves eight years' residence. Leijdekkers has a passport from Turkey, where he previously resided after going on the run from Dutch authorities. It is unknown if he has Sierra Leonean documentation too. At a press conference in January, Sierra Leonean police said their own investigations had established that the church service footage depicted a man called Omar Sheriff. The country's police chief, William Fayia Sellu, declined to say at the time whether Sheriff and Leijdekkers were the same person. Leijdekkers, who has assumed numerous aliases and nicknames, including Bolle Jos, was sentenced in absentia by a Rotterdam court last June to 24 years in prison for six drug transports totalling 7,000kg of cocaine, an armed robbery in Finland, and ordering the murder of an associate. He received a 10-year sentence in absentia by a court in Belgium in September over an attempt to smuggle drugs via the port of Antwerp in 2020. Organised criminal groups have long used west African countries as a staging post for cocaine shipments from South America to Europe. The revelations about Leijdekkers come at an awkward moment for the authorities in Sierra Leone, which earlier this year recalled its ambassador from neighbouring Guinea after seven suitcases containing suspected cocaine were found in an embassy vehicle. Dutch officials are still in discussions to extradite Leijdekkers, even though Sierra Leone does not have a formal extradition treaty with the Netherlands. Sources in Freetown told the Guardian that Sierra Leone's government wanted to swap Leijdekkers for the Netherlands-based influential social commentator Abdul Will Kamara, AKA Adebayor, whose videos and long WhatsApp voice notes are popular among older people and those in rural areas. Officials and ruling party supporters claim he incited deadly riots in 2022 in the capital and north of the country that left at least 26 civilians and six police officers dead. In February, the information minister, Chernor Bah, said two attempts to extradite Adebayor had been unsuccessful. Bah was approached for comment on Monday.
The Guardian
14-02-2025
- The Guardian
Revealed: fugitive Dutch drug lord has been in Sierra Leone for at least two years
One of Europe's most-wanted drug lords has been living in Sierra Leone for at least two years, spending time at nightclubs and house parties, sources have told the Guardian. Johannes Leijdekkers, a Dutch national, has been sentenced in absentia to decades in prison for offences including cocaine trafficking on a vast scale and ordering a murder. In September Dutch police said he remained missing and offered a €200,000 (£170,000) reward for any information leading to his arrest. In a dramatic development last month that sent ripples through international law enforcement circles, Leijdekkers was seen attending a New Year's Day church service with Sierra Leone's presidential family, in footage posted on Facebook by the country's first lady. Reuters, which verified the footage using facial recognition technology, quoted sources who said he had been benefitting from high-level protection in Sierra Leone, one of a number of west African transit points for cocaine trafficking from South America to Europe. Responding to the footage, Dutch prosecutors said Leijdekkers had been living in Sierra Leone for at least six months. But Leijdekkers' presence can now be dated back to at least December 2022. Multiple sources told the Guardian that he was present at a New Year's Eve party that year at the Mamba Point resort in the capital, Freetown. The testimony corroborated footage that has been circulating in Sierra Leone of a man who resembles Leijdekkers involved in a fracas at a nightclub. Analysis of the footage showed it had been filmed at Mamba Point. At one point the words 'Happy New Year 2023' can be seen on a screen in the background. Sources also placed Leijdekkers at a house party hosted by a popular Lebanese couple in the Tokeh beach area in December 2023. Footage from the party shows a man resembling Leijdekkers in attendance. Sources said Leijdekkers has been in a relationship with Agnes Bio, a daughter of Sierra Leone's president, Julius Maada Bio. Leijdekkers and Bio were sitting next to each other in the church service footage from 1 January this year. Bio is the president's daughter from a previous relationship with Zainab Kandeh, Sierra Leone's consul to Morocco. She serves as an alternate representative of Sierra Leone on the UN Security Council. The Dutchman was also present at Maada Bio's farm in his hometown of Tihun during a visit in 2024, according to an official in the presidency who spoke anonymously. Footage of a man resembling Leijdekkers has been in circulation showing him being cheered by villagers as he bent to harvest rice. Leijdekkers, who has assumed numerous aliases and nicknames, including Bolle Jos, was sentenced in absentia by a Rotterdam court last June to 24 years in prison for six drug transports totalling 7,000kg of cocaine, an armed robbery in Finland, and ordering the murder of an associate. He was also given a 10-year sentence in absentia by a court in Belgium in September over an attempt to smuggle drugs via the port of Antwerp in 2020. Organised criminal groups have long used west African countries as a staging post for cocaine shipments from South America to Europe. The revelations about Leijdekkers come at an awkward moment for the authorities in Sierra Leone, which last month recalled its ambassador from neighbouring Guinea after seven suitcases containing suspected cocaine were found in an embassy vehicle. After the first reports emerged of Leijdekkers' presence in Sierra Leone, authorities in Freetown said the president had 'no knowledge about the identity and the issues detailed in the reports about the individual in question'. The presidency official told the Guardian that the presidency had been unaware of Leijdekkers' background until a Reuters report on 24 January. The official gave no further details. In a press conference last week in Freetown, inspector-general of police William Fayia Sellu, said an 'open-source investigation' into the footage from 1 January had determined that the 'the individual in the pictures being circulated online is called Omar Sheriff'. 'Raids have been conducted at specific locations where this individual was said to be present and he has not been found yet,' Sellu said. He declined to say how the identity of the man had been determined or whether Omar Sheriff and Johannes Leijdekkers are the same person. The information minister, Chernor Bah, told the same press conference that investigators were 'looking into' whether the man they had identified had been in the country for more than six months. 'I don't think they [police] have established a definite timeframe yet,' Bah later told the Guardian. 'At this stage, they are comfortable to say that records for the past six months don't reveal that person via any formal entry points in our country.' It remains unclear if Leijdekkers is still in Sierra Leone. Last week, the Dutch justice minister said an extradition request had been sent to authorities in the country. A representative for the Dutch justice ministry did not respond to a request for comments.
