Belgian court sentences 51 in Costa cocaine case, fugitive 'Bolle Jos' gets 14 years

Sentencing of 51 defendants

On 30 July 2026, the correctional court in Tongeren, Belgium, sentenced 51 people to a combined 180 years in prison for their roles in importing more than 23 tonnes of cocaine through the port of Antwerp. The verdicts closed the Costa case, one of the largest drug trials in Belgian history, which began with the discovery of a 2.7-tonne cocaine shipment hidden in a container of wood from Costa Rica in autumn 2019. The court also ordered confiscations of tens of millions of euros in assets, including real estate, vehicles, and luxury watches. Five defendants were acquitted, among them two lawyers accused of sharing confidential information with criminal organisations.

The Costa investigation

The investigation, named after that initial Costa Rican shipment, uncovered four criminal networks that collaborated in a "Crime-as-a-Service" model, each offering specialised expertise, from arranging imports to extracting shipments from the port. The federal prosecutor estimated the street value of the cocaine at €3.5 billion. Evidence relied heavily on decrypted messages from the Sky ECC app, which Europol cracked in 2021, giving authorities insight into the traffickers' operations. The trial was originally set for 2024 but faced delays from defence recusal motions, and in summer 2025 a new inquiry into the use of a civilian infiltrator further postponed proceedings.

Key figures and sentences

The court imposed sentences well below the prosecution's demands. Tom Bastiaanse, known as "the Escobar of the Campine," received 12 years; his right-hand man, former gendarme Willy Van Mechelen, 82, got 9 years instead of the 17 requested. Geert Frisson, ex-president of the Bandidos motorcycle gang, was sentenced to 13 years (prosecutors had sought 20). Henk Rijntjes received 11.5 years. Nathan Steveniers, described as Jos Leijdekkers' lieutenant, got 8 years, and Ibrahim Ozcan, an associate of Lucio Aquino, 6 years. The court declared that crime should never pay, confiscating over €20 million from Bastiaanse and Van Mechelen and more than €15 million from Frisson.

Fugitive 'Bolle Jos' Leijdekkers

Jos Leijdekkers, the 35-year-old Dutch national known as "Bolle Jos," was sentenced in absentia to 14 years, the highest individual term, and fined €400,000. He is the most wanted criminal in the Netherlands and has been hiding in Sierra Leone, reportedly with connections to President Julius Maada Bio. This was his eighth Belgian conviction, bringing his total sentences in Belgium and the Netherlands to 103 years. Leijdekkers did not appear at trial and sent no lawyer, a pattern that has allowed sentences to accumulate with little challenge. Belgian authorities have repeatedly requested his extradition from Sierra Leone without success.

Reactions and next steps

After the verdict, Willy Van Mechelen told the court he was relieved, calling the sentence serious but far lighter than the prosecution's demand. Many defence lawyers shared the view that the court had been reasonable, and the main defendants are unlikely to appeal. The federal prosecutor may still appeal if dissatisfied with the lower punishments. For now, the sentences strike a blow to the networks that turned Antwerp into a major cocaine gateway, though the fugitive Leijdekkers remains beyond reach.

Mr. President, you have pronounced a serious judgment.