EU suspends Sierra Leone aid over cocaine kingpin dispute

The European Commission has suspended its financial aid to Sierra Leone over the country’s refusal to arrest and hand over European cocaine kingpin Jos Leijdekkers, said Dutch Justice Minister David van Weel. The decision to suspend €18m in payments promised for this year is intended to pressure Sierra Leone to take action against Leijdekkers, who has found refuge and high-level protection in the West African country since at least 2023, reports TimesLIVE. Dutch national Leijdekkers is a convicted cocaine smuggler and one of Europe’s most wanted fugitives. The Netherlands has demanded his extradition, but so far Sierra Leone has refused to co-operate. Another €22.5m promised for next year might also be suspended if the country continues its refusal to co-operate, Van Weel said. The European Commission did not immediately reply to requests for comment. Leijdekkers was sentenced in absentia to 24 years in prison in the Netherlands for smuggling more than seven tonnes of cocaine In Belgium he has been sentenced to a total of about 100 years in prison in various cases.