Reward for information leading to arrest of Dutch drug kingpin to rise to €2 million

The Public Prosecution Service (OM) is increasing the reward for the decisive tip that would lead to the arrest of notorious Dutch drug kingpin Jos Leijdekkers, De Telegraaf reports. The tip is set to rise to 2 million euros from the current 200,000 euros this upcoming week.

The police and the OM hope to encourage citizens of Sierra Leone and other West African countries to share more information about the Brabant drug baron. He is believed to be hiding in Sierra Leone. The Dutch government has been long trying to get him to be extradited. According to the authorities, the government is protecting Leijdekkers, making the arrest difficult.

The 200,000 euros was already the highest tip ever offered in Dutch history. While countries including Mexico and the United States more commonly offer large sums, the Netherlands has traditionally been far more restrained in this regard.

Rewards of 10,000 euros to 20,000 euros are, for example, typical for murder cases. Leijdekkers is currently the Netherlands’ most wanted criminal. Among other things, he is held jointly responsible for large shipments of cocaine to Europe. Additionally, the OM has now linked Leijdekkers to the shooting in Overasselt on September 1, which took the life of a security guard Berry Leenders.

Leijdekkers allegedly has a diplomatic passport to Sierra Leone in exchange for years of investing into the local economy. "He began a relationship with Agnes Bio, the president's daughter, with whom he now has a child. According to eyewitnesses, the Dutchman threw money around and invested in mines and real estate, among other things," according to RTL correspondent Van Leeuwen.