Freetown, 19th June, 2026 – Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten has called on the European Union to intensify its fight against international drug trafficking by taking tougher action against countries that shelter convicted criminals.
Speaking after high‑level discussions, Jetten said the Netherlands has urged EU leaders to increase pressure on Sierra Leone to extradite fugitive drug trafficker Jos Leijdekkers, widely known as “Bolle Jos.”
“I want the pressure on Sierra Leone to be increased in order to secure the extradition of Jos Leijdekkers because Sierra Leone is heavily dependent on support not only from the Netherlands but also from other European countries. If all 27 EU member states say that they expect cooperation in carrying out judicial requests, then extradition becomes a much more realistic possibility,” Jetten said, stressing that Sierra Leone is heavily dependent on European support.
The Dutch leader revealed that the EU is weighing cuts to Sierra Leone’s €325 million development aid package (2021–2027) if Freetown continues to resist extradition requests.
Leijdekkers, sentenced to a combined 81 years in prison in the Netherlands and Belgium, has been linked to several major cocaine seizures, including a record haul earlier this year.
Jetten emphasized that while Sierra Leone is a pressing case, other countries must also do more to combat international drug trafficking. He insisted the Dutch government will continue to push for extraditions to ensure “serious and wanted criminals are ultimately brought before a court of law.”
