The Wanted Man With The Biggest Bounty On His Head In Europe

Europe's biggest reward for a wanted person comes for information about a 31-year-old man who is said to have taken part in illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

Jos Leijdekkers is the subject of an ongoing investigation by European authorities after he was determined to be one of the key players in the trafficking, import and export of cocaine in both his home country of the Netherlands and in Belgium.

As well as his alleged involvement with drugs, Leijdekkers is suspected to be involved in a number of 'very serious cases involving excessive violence'.

Alamy

According to Europol, the 31-year-old is believed to have played a part in the disappearance and death of Naima Jillal; a woman who disappeared on 20 October, 2019 after getting into a car in Amsterdam.

Messages cited by Europol indicate Leijdekkers 'played a role in and is probably even responsible' for the disappearance of the woman, who was thought to have vanished until images seemingly of her were found on a phone.

The photographs indicated she had been tortured and suggested she was no longer alive.

In a bid to capture Leijdekkers, authorities are offering a reward of €75,000 (£64,500) - the largest bounty on any of Europe's most wanted fugitives.

Intercepted messages have also led authorities to believe Leijdekkers may have been involved in the laundering of tens of millions of euros and hundreds of kilos of gold, as well as cocaine.

The wanted man, who is apparently also known as Bolle Jos, is said to have no fixed address in the Netherlands, and as a result authorities speculate he has likely not lived in the country for some time.

"Until recently, it was thought that he was staying in Turkey," the authority explains, "however, the investigation has not yet revealed his place of residence."

Europol

The most recent photographs of the suspect are from 2011 and 2016, so Europol has noted Leijdekkers may now have a beard. Born on 1 July, 1991, Leijdekkers is said to be approximately 182cm tall (5'9") with brown eyes.

The 31-year-old is one of a number of wanted criminals in Europe with a bounty on their head; others include Dr Ruja Ignatova, suspected of tricking investors with a worthless cryptocurrency; Christo Hülters, who allegedly shot and injured two people in the Netherlands before going on the run, and Tibor Foco, who escaped from prison after being sentenced for murder.

Jacek Piotr Jaworek also has a bounty after allegedly killing his brother, sister-in-law and their child; and Ihaab El-Rawi is wanted as he is suspected to be responsible for a drug gang-related shooting in Hamburg.