Post a comment 
The Dutch authorities have reportedly intercepted over 4,500 kilograms of cocaine linked to a drug kingpin, Jos Leijdekkers, at the Port of Amsterdam, the capital city of Netherlands, reportedly shipped from Ghana and concealed within wood products.
The seizure is confirmed to be the largest ever at the port and is part of an ongoing investigation that has raised concerns about the involvement of Jos Leijdekkers, a fugitive known for his extensive criminal activities.
The Public Prosecution Service announced that the shipment was destined for Germany, and three men have been arrested in connection with the case.
Among them is a 72-year-old man from Chaam, Noord-Brabant, who allegedly acted as a front for the operation by registering the importing business in his name for payment.
During his arrest on October 5, authorities confiscated four mobile phones, which they are now examining to trace his role and the flow of funds related to the drug shipment. The 72-year-old and a 42-year-old suspect from Amsterdam have since been released after questioning, while a 69-year-old man remains in custody.
The investigation into this drug haul has revealed links to Jos Leijdekkers, a notorious figure in the European drug trade. Leijdekkers, who is wanted for drug trafficking and murder, was sentenced in absentia to 24 years in prison by a Rotterdam court for smuggling seven tonnes of cocaine, as well as for armed robbery in Finland and ordering a murder.
In September 2023, a Belgian court sentenced him to 10 years for drug trafficking and assault. He is also suspected of involvement in the disappearance and suspected torture and murder of Naima Jilal, a woman who went missing in Amsterdam in 2019.
Leijdekkers has been described as Europe’s most wanted man and is believed to have been hiding in Sierra Leone for over two years. Reports indicate that he has been seen in the company of Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio and his daughter in videos examined by journalists. Dutch officials suspect that he has been residing in Sierra Leone for an even longer period.
The authorities expect to make additional arrests as the investigation continues, aiming to dismantle the network behind this substantial cocaine shipment.
