Record reward offered for capture of fugitive cocaine kingpin dubbed "Chubby Jos"
Dutch authorities have increased the bounty for fugitive cocaine kingpin Jos Leijdekkers to a record €2 million. Prosecutors hope the tenfold increase will ramp up pressure on the 35-year-old drug lord, who also goes by the nicknames Bolle Jos and Chubby Jos. Leijdekkers remains a fugitive from justice and is reportedly staying in Sierra Leone. He sits atop Europol's list of most wanted criminals after facing severe drug trafficking convictions and ordering violent crimes.
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- ✓ Dutch prosecutors raised the reward for the arrest of Jos Leijdekkers to €2 million.
- ✓ Jos Leijdekkers is nicknamed Bolle Jos or Chubby Jos and is 35 years old.
- ✓ A Dutch court sentenced Leijdekkers in absentia to 24 years in prison in 2025 for smuggling more than seven tonnes of cocaine.
- ✓ Leijdekkers is the most wanted fugitive on Europol's list of top criminals.
What changed
Dutch prosecutors raised the capture reward to €2 million to accelerate the hunt for the fugitive drug lord.
Live updates
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Record €2M Bounty Offered for Fugitive Cocaine Kingpin Jos Leijdekkers
Dutch authorities have increased the bounty for fugitive cocaine kingpin Jos Leijdekkers to a record €2 million. Prosecutors hope the tenfold increase will ramp up pressure on the 35-year-old drug lord, who also goes by the nicknames Bolle Jos and Chubby Jos. Leijdekkers remains a fugitive from justice and is reportedly staying in Sierra Leone. He sits atop Europol's list of most wanted criminals after facing severe drug trafficking convictions and ordering violent crimes.
Why it matters
Leijdekkers stands convicted in absentia by a Dutch court for massive cocaine smuggling operations exceeding seven tonnes. Dutch authorities indicate the fugitive kingpin maintains a relationship with the daughter of Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio while remaining at large abroad.
What is confirmed
- Dutch prosecutors raised the reward for the arrest of Jos Leijdekkers to €2 million.
- Jos Leijdekkers is nicknamed Bolle Jos or Chubby Jos and is 35 years old.
- A Dutch court sentenced Leijdekkers in absentia to 24 years in prison in 2025 for smuggling more than seven tonnes of cocaine.
- Leijdekkers is the most wanted fugitive on Europol's list of top criminals.
Still unconfirmed
- Leijdekkers is believed to be hiding out in Sierra Leone and is in a relationship with the daughter of president Julius Maada Bio.
What to watch next
- Law enforcement actions or international cooperation developments regarding the new €2 million reward
- Potential movements or official responses from authorities in Sierra Leone concerning the fugitive's reported whereabouts
confidence 100%Sources used for this update (19)
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- CBS News — Record reward offered for capture of fugitive cocaine kingpin dubbed "Chubby Jos"
- The Independent — Dutch police offer £1.6m reward for help finding cocaine kingpin on the run
- ua.news — Netherlands offers €2 million reward for Leijdekkers' arrest — The Independent
- DutchNews.nl — Prosecutors raise reward for arrest of “Bolle Jos” to €2m
- NL Times — Reward for information leading to arrest of Dutch drug kingpin to rise to €2 million
- BBC — Dutch police offer record €2m reward in hunt for drug lord Jos Leijdekkers
- GhanaWeb — Dutch police offer €2 million bounty for cocaine kingpin linked to Ghana, others
- The Brussels Times — Netherlands promises €2 million reward for leads on drug criminal wanted in Belgium
- Asaase Radio — Dutch prosecutors offer record €2m reward for fugitive trafficker linked to Ghana investigation
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