Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten has called on the European Union to escalate diplomatic and economic pressure on Sierra Leone to secure the extradition of convicted drug trafficker Jos Leijdekkers, the fugitive known as “Bolle Jos.”
Speaking after high‑level talks in Brussels, Jetten urged all 27 member states to leverage their collective influence, pointing to Freetown’s significant reliance on European development assistance.
“I want the pressure on Sierra Leone to be increased,” he said. “If all EU member states signal that they expect full cooperation on judicial requests, extradition becomes a far more realistic prospect.”
The Dutch leader confirmed that the bloc is considering cuts to Sierra Leone’s €325 million aid package for the 2021–2027 period should it continue to rebuff extradition efforts.
Leijdekkers, who has been sentenced to a combined 81 years behind bars in the Netherlands and Belgium, is linked to multiple major cocaine seizures, including a record-breaking haul earlier this year.
Jetten stressed that while Sierra Leone is an immediate priority, other nations must also strengthen their commitment to combating international drug trafficking.
The Dutch government, he added, would persist in its pursuit of extraditions to ensure that “serious and wanted criminals are ultimately brought before a court of law.”