Wanted Dutch drug-smuggler ‘is in Sierra Leone’

Dutch authorities say that one of the most fugitives in Europe lives in Sierra Leone for about six months.

Jos Leijdekkers, 33, was sentenced to 24 years in prison on June 25 last year by the Rotterdam Court for smuggling more than seven tons of cocaine.

Dutch public prosecutor Wim de Bruyne said that the return of the fugitive to the Netherlands was “a higher priority.”

“We are doing everything we can in this regard, but we cannot comment more because of the ongoing investigation,” he said.

A Dutch Public Prosecution Service (OM) said that Leijdekkers lives in Sierra Leone for about six months.

They said he was known as the title Paul Jose, until recently he was suspected of living in Türkiye.

Sierra Leone authorities did not comment on the claims.

Reuters news agency reported that Legdickers was seen in Sierra Leone in January when the president of Sierra Leone posted a video on social media to serve the church she was attending with her husband.

According to Reuters, Leijdekkers can be seen in the video. BBC was unable to check the shots.

Dutch police described Leijdekkers as “one of the main players in the international trafficking of cocaine.”

A reward of $ 210,000 (168,000 pounds) is offered for the reward that leads to his arrest. This is said to be the highest amount offered ever for the Dutch fighter.

Leijdekkers has been listed as one of the most fleeing agents between Europol, the European Union Law Agency.

West Africa is a major crossing point for cocaine trafficking from Latin America.

On January 17, Sierra Leone recalled its ambassador from the neighboring Guinea After seven virtues containing cocaine suspected of the embassy vehicle.

Sierra Leon, Hajj Musa Timothy Kaba, said that the Guinea authorities had killed a Sierra Leone embassy vehicle and detained their occupants on suspicion of owning “substances suspected of cocaine.”

“In light of this serious development, the government summoned the Cerealian ambassador urgently in Guinea, Ambassador, Mr. Imami Bangura, to Fritown to provide a full account of the accident,” he added.

The minister said that the envoy, who was called in the car was not in the car, was not in detention.

“It was not proven that the ambassador was involved in this trafficking,” he added.