Dutch government say one in every of Europe’s most-wanted fugitives has been dwelling in Sierra Leone for approximately six months.

Jos Leijdekkers, 33, was once sentenced in absentia to 24 years in jail on 25 June utmost hour through a Rotterdam courtroom for smuggling greater than seven tonnes of cocaine.

Dutch prosecutor Wim de Bruin mentioned the fugitive’s go back to the Netherlands was once of “the highest priority”.

“We are doing everything we can in that regard but we cannot comment any further because of the ongoing investigation,” he mentioned.

A spokesperson for the Dutch Nation Prosecution Carrier (OM) mentioned Leijdekkers has been dwelling in Sierra Leone for approximately six months.

They mentioned he’s identified through the nickname Bolle Jos and that till just lately he was once suspected to be dwelling in Turkey.

Sierra Leonean government have now not commented at the claims.

Reuters information company has reported that Leijdekkers was once noticed in Sierra Leone in January when the President of Sierra Leone’s spouse posted a video on social media of a church provider she was once attending together with her husband.

In keeping with Reuters, Leijdekkers may also be distinguishable within the video. The BBC has now not been ready to make sure the photos.

Dutch police have described Leijdekkers as “one of the key players in international cocaine trafficking”.

A $210,000 (£168,000) praise is being introduced for tip-offs that supremacy to his arrest. That is reportedly the best quantity ever introduced for a Dutch fugitive.

Leijdekkers is indexed as one of the most most-wanted fugitives through Europol, the EU’s regulation enforcement company.

West Africa is a significant transit level for the trafficking of cocaine from Latin The united states.

On 17 January, Sierra Leone recalled its ambassador from neighbouring Guinea next seven suitcases containing suspected cocaine had been present in an embassy car.

Guinean government impounded a car belonging to Sierra Leone’s embassy and detained its occupants on lack of certainty of possessing “substances suspected to be cocaine”, Sierra Leone’s Overseas Minister Alhaji Musa Timothy Kabba mentioned.

“In light of this serious development, the government has urgently recalled Sierra Leone’s ambassador to Guinea, Ambassador Mr Alimamy Bangura, to Freetown to provide a full account of the incident,” he added.

The recalled envoy was once now not within the automotive and isn’t beneath arrest, the minister mentioned.

“It has not been proven that the ambassador is involved in this trafficking,” he added.