Dutch prosecutors have announced a €2 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Jos Leijdekkers, a convicted cocaine trafficker considered one of Europe’s most wanted fugitives, whose alleged activities have come under investigation in Ghana.
In a statement issued on Monday, November 2, 2026, prosecutors said the reward would be paid to anyone whose information provides a decisive lead resulting in Leijdekkers’ arrest.
The bounty, equivalent to approximately $2.2 million, is the largest ever offered by Dutch authorities. <Cite refs={[“turn227542news12”]} />
The announcement comes amid investigations by Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) into three individuals suspected of representing and facilitating the fugitive’s alleged drug-trafficking operations in Ghana.
The suspects were arrested following the seizure of a significant cocaine consignment by French customs officials. The shipment is believed to be linked to a wider international drug-trafficking network.
NACOC has confirmed that the three individuals remain in its custody and are assisting with investigations into their alleged involvement.
The Commission says the arrests form part of broader efforts to dismantle international drug-trafficking networks operating in Ghana or using the country as a transit route.
Investigators are expected to establish the nature of the suspects’ relationship with Leijdekkers, their activities in Ghana and their possible links to the wider criminal network.
The outcome of the investigation could shed light on whether Ghana served as a transit hub, operational base or coordination point for activities allegedly associated with the fugitive.
Who is Jos Leijdekkers?
Leijdekkers, 35, is popularly known in the Netherlands as ‘Bolle Jos’, which translates as ‘Chubby Jos’. Dutch authorities say he is also known by the alias Omar Sherrif in Sierra Leone, where he is believed to have lived for several years. <Cite refs={[“turn227542news12”]} />
He is regarded by Dutch prosecutors as a major figure in international cocaine trafficking and is suspected of earning tens of millions of euros from the illegal trade.
In 2025, a Dutch court sentenced him in absentia to 24 years in prison for his role in smuggling more than seven tonnes of cocaine. He is also facing several other criminal investigations in the Netherlands.
In Belgium, a court handed him a separate 79-year prison sentence.
Dutch authorities additionally suspect him of money laundering and involvement in serious acts of violence. <Cite refs={[“turn227542news12”]} />
