French and Dutch investigators have established links between a nearly 3.9-tonne cocaine shipment seized at the port of Dunkirk and the criminal organization of fugitive Dutch drug kingpin Jos Leijdekkers, alias “Bolle Jos”, who is believed to be hiding in Sierra Leone.
The cocaine, concealed in a container of plastic waste shipped from Ghana, had an estimated street value of €225 million (about US$261.45 million).
French customs authorities at the port city of Dunkirk, France, decided to inspect the vessel based on intelligence received during its final stop in Antwerp, Belgium.
The inspection at Dunkirk, near the Belgian border, was not routine.
The Herald’s findings are that Jos Leijdekkers, who has been seen attending churches in Sierra Leone, has been placed on the Dutch and Europol most-wanted lists. Allegations have linked him to a relative of the Sierra Leonean President.
He was sentenced in absentia by the Rotterdam District Court to 24 years in prison for his involvement in six cocaine shipments totalling almost 7,000kg, among other crimes.
Both Europol and Dutch authorities are offering a €200,000 reward for information that could lead to the arrest of Leijdekkers.
French customs officers seized the consignment at the northern French port of Dunkirk following a targeted operation against a criminal network suspected of being behind the shipment.
French authorities said the drugs were hidden inside a container carrying plastic waste from Ghana, with part of the shipment initially destined for Antwerp, Belgium.
The cocaine has since been destroyed, while an investigation into the criminal network behind the shipment is continuing.
According to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, investigators have information indicating that at least part of the consignment belongs to Leijdekkers’ criminal organization.
Belgian newspaper HLN also reported that the drugs were destined for a business address in Dordrecht, in the Netherlands.
The reported link to Leijdekkers, however, has not been confirmed by the Dutch Public Prosecution Service (OM).
The OM said a man was arrested in Dordrecht on Friday, 4 September 2026, on suspicion of being involved in an attempt to import almost 4,000kg of cocaine.
The cocaine was subsequently discovered in containers at Dunkirk on Monday, 7 September, according to Dutch authorities.
The suspect is also accused of participating in preparatory activities relating to the importation of cocaine shipments into the Netherlands earlier this year.
He was brought before a judge on Thursday, 10 September, and remanded in custody for a further 14 days.
The suspect is being held under restrictions, meaning he is only permitted to communicate with his lawyer, while authorities are limiting the amount of information released about the investigation.
The Dutch investigation is being conducted by the National Criminal Investigation and Interventions Unit under the direction of the National Public Prosecutor’s Office.
French prosecutors said their judicial police had already targeted the criminal network allegedly responsible for the shipment before the seizure.
The investigation covers suspected offenses of organized importation of narcotics and participation in a criminal association.
Under French law, the offenses under investigation can carry prison sentences of up to 10 years.
The seizure was one of the major drug interceptions recorded by French customs in recent weeks.
French customs seized 108.81 tonnes of narcotics of various types across the country in 2025, with an estimated value of €2.197 billion.
Leijdekkers is one of the Netherlands’ most wanted fugitives and was sentenced in absentia by the Rotterdam District Court to 24 years in prison over his involvement in cocaine trafficking and other offenses.
Dutch authorities have accused him of involvement in several large-scale cocaine shipments.
He has also been the subject of an international manhunt, with Dutch authorities offering a reward for information leading to his arrest.
Reports have previously linked Leijdekkers to Sierra Leone, where he is alleged to be hiding. However, Dutch authorities have not confirmed that he was behind the Dunkirk shipment.
The latest seizure has nevertheless raised further questions about the use of West African shipping routes to transport large consignments of cocaine into Europe.
The investigations in France and the Netherlands remain ongoing.
Jos Leijdekkers, widely known as “Bolle Jos” or “Fat Jos” and reported to have operated under the alias Umar Sheriff, is a notorious Dutch international cocaine kingpin and fugitive.
Born in 1991 in Breda, the Netherlands, he is considered one of Europe’s most-wanted high-level drug traffickers and international cocaine brokers, with alleged links to large-scale cartels and violent crime.
He has been convicted in absentia by multiple European courts, receiving cumulative prison sentences totalling roughly 80 years, including a 24-year sentence from a Rotterdam court for large-scale drug smuggling involving more than seven tonnes of cocaine and related charges.
Dutch courts have also issued substantial repayment and fine orders against him, including a Rotterdam court order exceeding €96 million.
Europol and Dutch authorities maintain a €200,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.
Leijdekkers surfaced in West Africa, spending time in Sierra Leone, where investigative reports by Follow the Money and Algemeen Dagblad, as well as social media footage, revealed that he had attended official events, including a New Year church service alongside President Julius Maada Bio.
Reports have linked him to Sierra Leone’s political establishment, alleging that he maintained a relationship with a member of the presidential family and received protection from state infrastructure and officials. However, local police have said efforts to locate him have been unsuccessful.
His presence has strained relations between the Netherlands and Sierra Leone. Dutch Justice Minister David van Weel formally requested his extradition and initiated political pressure, including urging the EU to review development aid and building regional coalitions across West Africa, while facing counter-accusations of diplomatic overreach.
Law enforcement agencies continue to target his broader network. French and Dutch authorities have connected his criminal organization to multi-tonne cocaine shipments routed from West Africa, including Ghana, towards European ports, resulting in major seizures and subsequent arrests in Europe.
