Sierra Leone police said they were hunning a Dutch drug trafficker who is one of the most wanted fugitives in Europe and hiding in the West African country.
Jos Leijdekkers was sentenced in absentia by a court in Rotterdam in June from last year to 24 years in prison for organizing the transport of seven tons of cocaine and ordering murder.
Suspected that he was in Sierra Leone on the verge of the first lady of the country, Fatima organic, published photos and a video on social networks which showed a man who strongly resembling the leijdekkers during a religious service assisted by the president Julius Maada organic.
Inspector General of National Police William Fayia Selu said that the investigators had identified the man in the photos as Leijdekkers, alias “Sheriff Omar”.
First Lady Fatima Maada Organic via Facebook / Via Reuters
“A police officer was launched to arrest him, visiting several places, but he has not yet been found,” he said at a press conference.
The 33 -year -old man – The opportunity of the authorities also known as “Bolle Jos” (“Chubby Jos”) – is part of the European Application of the UNION Europol law The most extensive list.
“Leijdekkers is considered one of the main players in international cocaine trafficking,” according to Europol.
Leijdekkers would also be involved in the disappearance and death of Naima Jillal, a woman who disappeared in 2019 after entering a car in Amsterdam, According to Europol. Intercepted messages have shown that Leijdekkers “played an important role in Jillal’s disappearance,” said the agency.
“For a long time, there was no trace of Naima Jillal, until photos of a woman who would be she was found on a phone seized during the Marengo investigation,” said Europol. “The photos show that it has probably been tortured and is probably no longer alive.”
Last month, the BBC reported Dutch prosecutor Wim de Bruin said that the fugitive’s return to the Netherlands was “the highest priority”.
Europol offered a reward of 200,000 euros ($ 208,000) for information leading to its arrest.
As the BBC notes, West Africa is a major transit point for cocaine trafficking in Latin America. Last month, Sierra Leone recalled her neighboring Guinea ambassador After seven suitcases containing suspected cocaine were found in an embassy vehicle.
