By Joe Turay
(– A Dutch fugitive suspected of leading a major cocaine trafficking network is alleged to have organised a record drug shipment seized off the West African coast, according to a report by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).
The report said Joseph Leijdekkers, one of Europe’s most wanted men, is believed by Spanish investigators to have coordinated the movement of more than 30 tonnes of cocaine intercepted aboard a cargo vessel in May.
Spain’s Guardia Civil seized the Comoros-flagged ship, known as the Arconian, in international waters on May 1, arresting 23 suspects of various nationalities. Authorities described the haul as one of the largest cocaine seizures on record, with an estimated value of nearly $1 billion.
Leijdekkers has not been formally charged in connection with the seizure, the report said, citing a senior Spanish officer involved in the investigation.
The vessel is reported to have departed from Freetown and was officially bound for Libya, though investigators suspect the cocaine was intended for onward transfer to Europe using smaller boats.
Leijdekkers was sentenced in absentia by a Dutch court in 2024 to 24 years in prison for drug trafficking and related offences. Dutch authorities have offered a reward for information leading to his arrest and have previously said he may be residing in Sierra Leone.
The allegations have increased scrutiny on Sierra Leone as a potential transit hub for cocaine shipments from Latin America to Europe. Authorities in the West African country have said they are investigating reports related to the fugitive and have pledged that Sierra Leone will not serve as a safe haven for organised crime.
