Ghana’s investigation into an alleged international drug-trafficking network linked to Dutch fugitive Jos Leijdekkers has taken on a new dimension following a record €2 million reward announced by Dutch prosecutors for information leading to his arrest.
The reward, announced on Monday, November 2, 2026, is the highest ever offered by Dutch authorities and is intended to secure information that provides a crucial lead towards capturing the convicted cocaine trafficker.
The development comes as Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) investigates three suspects arrested over their alleged involvement in facilitating or representing the activities of Leijdekkers in Ghana.
The suspects were picked up following the seizure of a major cocaine consignment by French customs, an operation believed to have exposed links to a wider international drug-trafficking network.
NACOC has confirmed that the three individuals are in its custody and assisting investigators to establish their respective roles in the suspected operation.
Investigations are expected to focus on their alleged connections to Leijdekkers, the nature of their activities in Ghana and possible links to other individuals involved in the international trafficking network.
Authorities are also expected to examine whether Ghana served as a transit corridor, operational base or meeting point for activities associated with the fugitive.
The latest developments place renewed attention on the international dimensions of the investigation, particularly as Dutch authorities intensify efforts to locate Leijdekkers.
**Record bounty for fugitive**
In announcing the €2 million reward, Dutch prosecutors said the money would be paid to anyone whose information produces a decisive lead resulting in his arrest.
The bounty, estimated at approximately $2.2 million, reflects the scale of the Dutch authorities’ efforts to apprehend the fugitive, who is regarded as one of Europe’s most wanted drug traffickers.
**Who is Jos Leijdekkers?**
Leijdekkers, 35, popularly known as “Bolle Jos” or “Chubby Jos” in the Netherlands, is also reportedly known as Omar Sherrif in Sierra Leone.
Dutch law enforcement authorities describe him as a major figure in international cocaine trafficking who is believed to have accumulated tens of millions of euros through the illegal trade.
A Dutch court sentenced him in absentia to 24 years in prison last year after convicting him of involvement in the smuggling of more than seven metric tonnes of cocaine.
He is also facing several ongoing investigations in the Netherlands.
In Belgium, he was sentenced to a cumulative 79 years in prison by a court over separate drug-related offences.
Beyond the cocaine trafficking convictions, Dutch authorities suspect him of money laundering and involvement in extreme violence.
With three suspects now in NACOC custody in Ghana and a record reward on offer in the Netherlands, investigators in both countries face renewed pressure to establish the full extent of the alleged network and locate the fugitive.
