2 million euros for "Fat Jos". A record award for the most dangerous boss in Europe

The Dutch services decided to increase the existing reward tenfold for information leading to the arrest of 35-year-old Jos Leijdekkers. It currently amounts to a record EUR 2 million. As Justice Minister David van Weel emphasized:

“This was necessary because of the threat Leijdekkers poses to national security, our democratic rule of law and the international legal order.”

The arrest of Leijdekkers is a "top priority" for prosecutors. This man's name is on Europol's most wanted list.

Who is "Bolle Jos" and how did he make his millions?

Jos Leijdekkers, also known as "Bolle Jos" or "Fat Jos", is a Dutch citizen who has been hiding outside his country in recent years.

According to the Dutch police, he is currently in Sierra Leone, where he uses the name Omar Sherrif. Information about his presence in this African country is confirmed by photos in which Leijdekkers was seen in the company of government officials, including the president himself. Despite demands from Dutch prosecutors, the Sierra Leonean authorities refused to extradite the criminal.

Leijdekkers has been elusive for years, but in 2024, a court in Rotterdam sentenced him in absentia to 24 years in prison for smuggling over seven tons of cocaine. In Belgium, an even harsher sentence was handed down - as much as 79 years of imprisonment.

Dutch services estimate that Leijdekkers earned tens of millions of euros from drug dealing. He is also suspected of money laundering and violence. Investigations against him are still ongoing.

The highest award in the history of the Dutch police

The €2 million reward is the highest sum ever offered by Dutch authorities in a criminal case. It will be given to the person who provides information leading to Leijdekkers' arrest. Investigators hope that the record amount will motivate people with knowledge about the whereabouts of the criminal to cooperate.