Turkish authorities have published images of a man accused of holding a Sierra Leonean diplomatic passport who was extradited from Dubai to Turkey over alleged links to international cocaine trafficking and other serious crimes, officials and media reports said on Sunday.
The man, identified as Abdullah Alp Üstün, also known by the alias Don Vito, was flown to Turkey under an Interpol Red Notice. Üstün is reportedly connected to a wider transnational narcotics network that European investigators have tied to Dutch national Jos Leijdekkers, a convicted drug trafficker.
Local media and regional media reports alleged that Üstün possessed a Sierra Leonean diplomatic passport at the time of his arrest, possibly obtained through Leijdekkers’ influence. Sierra Leonean authorities have not confirmed the authenticity of the passport, and the Ministry of Information said investigations are ongoing.
Leijdekkers, widely known by his nickname Bolle Jos, was convicted in absentia by a Rotterdam court in June 2024 and sentenced to 24 years in prison for smuggling more than seven tonnes of cocaine into Europe. Dutch prosecutors have also accused him of laundering tens of millions of euros through global criminal networks.
For months, Dutch authorities have expressed concern that Leijdekkers may be residing in Sierra Leone. In January, footage circulated online showing a man resembling him attending a church service in Freetown near President Julius Maada Bio, sparking speculation about possible political connections. The government has not commented on those reports.
Some sources have claimed Leijdekkers may be married to the president’s daughter, Agnes Bio, but this has not been independently verified.
In response to the allegations, Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Information said the government has not received any formal extradition or legal cooperation request concerning Leijdekkers. Officials said Sierra Leone remains open to collaboration with Interpol, Dutch authorities, and other international partners on the matter.
As of Sunday, the government had not publicly addressed the claims that Üstün held a Sierra Leonean diplomatic passport or confirmed whether a formal internal investigation had begun.
The unfolding case has intensified scrutiny over Sierra Leone’s diplomatic passport system, raising concerns about document security, corruption, and the potential exploitation of diplomatic privileges by organized crime networks.
This is a developing story.
Background: Sierra Leone’s Diplomatic Passport System Under Scrutiny
FREETOWN, Oct 12 (Reuters) – Sierra Leone’s diplomatic passport system has faced repeated scrutiny in recent years following a series of high-profile scandals involving allegations of corruption, document forgery, and misuse of state privileges.
In 2023, several senior government officials were investigated after foreign nationals were reportedly found holding Sierra Leonean diplomatic passports. The revelations prompted a temporary suspension of new issuances and a review of diplomatic documentation procedures.
The controversy resurfaced in 2024 when civil society groups and opposition lawmakers accused the government of selling or illegally granting diplomatic passports to individuals with no official role in the state. Authorities denied the allegations but admitted that recordkeeping and vetting mechanisms needed improvement.
The latest claims — that a Turkish national accused of drug trafficking may have possessed a Sierra Leonean diplomatic passport — have renewed public concern about weak controls and possible exploitation of the system by transnational criminal networks.
The Sierra Leone Immigration Department has since pledged to audit all existing diplomatic passports and strengthen vetting processes for future applicants, saying any verified misconduct will face disciplinary and legal action.
By Joe Turay
