Brussels, 17th September, 2026 – The European Parliament has adopted a sweeping resolution on narco-trafficking in Europe’s waters, calling for stronger international cooperation to combat increasingly sophisticated criminal networks.
Among the most striking references in the text is Sierra Leone, highlighted as a key transit country where Dutch drug trafficker Jos Leijdekkers – one of Europe’s most wanted men – is believed to remain at large.
“This underscores the need for strengthened judicial cooperation with third countries, including countries in West Africa, to ensure that individuals convicted of serious drug trafficking offences – such as Dutch drug trafficker Jos Leijdekkers, who remains at large in Sierra Leone – do not evade justice.”
The resolution underscores the urgent need for strengthened judicial cooperation with West African nations, warning that traffickers must not be allowed to exploit jurisdictional gaps to evade justice. Lawmakers stressed that Europe’s fight against cocaine smuggling cannot succeed without deeper collaboration with countries along Atlantic trafficking routes, including Sierra Leone.
Leijdekkers, nicknamed “Bolle Jos,” has been linked to large-scale cocaine shipments into Europe and is accused of orchestrating violent attacks tied to drug networks. His presence in Sierra Leone, according to the resolution, illustrates how traffickers are adapting to heightened security in Europe’s major ports by shifting operations through vulnerable transit states.
The Parliament urged the European Commission to expand cooperation frameworks with West Africa, combining law enforcement, judicial support, and socio-economic investment to reduce the appeal of trafficking networks. It also called for capacity-building measures to help local authorities confront organised crime, while ensuring that individuals convicted of serious offences face prosecution rather than sanctuary.
Beyond Sierra Leone, the resolution paints a broader picture of Europe under siege from maritime drug trafficking, with criminal groups using go-fast boats, semi-submersibles, and fishing vessels to evade detection. It calls for stronger EU maritime surveillance, enhanced intelligence-sharing, and coordinated operations in the Atlantic and Mediterranean.
The text also stresses that enforcement alone is insufficient, urging investment in prevention, treatment, and community resilience to tackle the social drivers of drug trafficking.
By naming Sierra Leone and Leijdekkers directly, the resolution signals Europe’s determination to close loopholes in global justice and ensure that drug lords cannot hide beyond EU borders.
