Dutch authorities have offered a record reward of €2m (£1.7m/$2.24m) for information leading to the arrest of Jos Leijdekkers, a man listed by Europol among its most-wanted fugitives. Dutch police describe him as "one of the key players in international cocaine trafficking."
Justice minister David van Weel said the increase, ten times the previous amount, was "necessary given the threat that Leijdekkers poses to national security, our democratic rule of law, and the international legal order." Dutch prosecutors said capturing him is their "highest priority" and that any information shared would be kept secret.
In January 2025, Dutch police said they believed Leijdekkers was living in Sierra Leone under the name Omar Sherrif. Images apparently showing him with President Julius Maada Bio and other officials have previously emerged. Dutch prosecutors have requested his extradition, but Sierra Leone has refused to cooperate, and the EU has cut some aid to the country in response.
A court in Rotterdam sentenced Leijdekkers in absentia in 2024 to 24 years in prison for smuggling more than seven metric tons of cocaine. He has also been sentenced to 79 years in prison in Belgium. Dutch authorities estimate he has made tens of millions of euros from cocaine smuggling and accuse him of money laundering and involvement in extreme violence.