Sierra Leone is investigating reports that Dutch drug kingpin Jos Leijdekkers, who was sentenced to 24 years in prison for cocaine smuggling, is living in the country. Leijdekkers, convicted in absentia by a Dutch court in June 2024 for smuggling over 7 tonnes of cocaine, is believed to have been in Sierra Leone since at least early 2023, according to two sources.
A spokesperson for the Dutch prosecutor’s office confirmed Leijdekkers’ presence in Sierra Leone for at least six months. He is also listed on Europol’s most wanted fugitives list. The Sierra Leone Ministry of Information said local authorities are collaborating with Dutch officials, Interpol, and other international law enforcement agencies to investigate the case.
The ministry’s statement also clarified that President Julius Maada Bio had attended several family events during the festive season but had no knowledge of Leijdekkers’ identity or the allegations against him.
Footage verified by Reuters from a January 2025 church mass shows Leijdekkers sitting near President Bio, fueling rumors about his ties to the president’s family. Sources suggest that Leijdekkers was seated next to a woman believed to be Bio’s daughter, Agnes, who is allegedly married to him, though this relationship remains unconfirmed.
Leijdekkers is said to be receiving high-level protection in Sierra Leone, a known transit point for large volumes of Latin American cocaine en route to Europe. The government insists it has not received any formal communication regarding Leijdekkers and is committed to preventing organized crime from taking root in the country.
