A massive cocaine shipment intercepted in France has brought one of Europe’s most wanted drug traffickers back into the international spotlight, with Ghana emerging as a key location in an investigation stretching across several countries.
At the center of the scandal is Jos Leijdekkers, popularly known as “Bolle Jos,” a Dutch fugitive whose alleged criminal network has been linked to nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine discovered in a shipping container originating from Ghana.
The drugs, estimated to be worth €225 million (approximately US$261 million), were intercepted at the Port of Dunkirk in September 2026. French customs officers discovered the cocaine concealed among plastic waste in a container reportedly destined for Antwerp, Belgium.
The discovery has triggered an international investigation, raising questions about how such a massive consignment passed through Ghana’s shipping system.
Who Is Jos Leijdekkers, the Man Known as Bolle Jos?
Born on July 1, 1991, Leijdekkers is a Dutch national who has attracted international attention for his involvement in organized cocaine trafficking.
In June 2024, a Rotterdam court sentenced him in absentia to 24 years in prison for offenses involving several cocaine shipments totaling approximately seven tonnes, a violent robbery and ordering a murder.
Dutch authorities have placed him on their most-wanted list and offered a €200,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.
His Alleged Hideout in Sierra Leone
Leijdekkers’ connections extend beyond Europe.
In January 2025, Dutch police and prosecutors announced that their investigations had established his presence in Sierra Leone.
Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) said in September 2026 that its Dutch counterparts believed the fugitive was still hiding in the West African country.
Four Suspects Arrested in Ghana
The cocaine investigation has resulted in the arrest of four individuals in Ghana, including Desmond Koranteng Curiel, Musah Attah, Kweku Otchere and Jessica Hartog.
The four appeared before an Accra court on September 16 and were remanded into custody. They are expected to return to court on October 13, 2026.
Leijdekkers has also been named as a fifth accused in the Ghanaian proceedings, although he remains at large.
However, his lawyers have denied his involvement in the latest cocaine shipment, and investigators have yet to publicly establish the full extent of his alleged role in the Ghana-to-France operation.
As the international investigation continues, authorities are working to establish how the drugs entered the shipping container, identify those responsible and trace the wider trafficking network.
For now, Bolle Jos remains a fugitive, with the latest cocaine seizure adding another chapter to the international effort to locate him and investigate his alleged criminal operations.
