According to Dutch media reports, drug traffickers issued a 12-hour ultimatum to their associate who had stolen 1,283 kg of cocaine from them, and after the deadline expired, they carried out a massacre right in a residential area.
This is not a scene from a Mexican series. This is the Netherlands, September 2026.
On the night of September 1, in the quiet village of Overasselt in the province of Gelderland, an event occurred that Dutch crime journalist John van den Heuvel aptly called “a new low for the Netherlands.” In 35 years of work, the reporter admitted, he had never seen anything like it.
At around 4:00 AM, more than 30 armed men in masks, carrying Kalashnikov assault rifles and pistols, surrounded a house on Ewijkseweg. Surveillance cameras captured the movement of the group of gunmen, moving like a military unit. They were fully camouflaged to avoid identification.
They shot and killed a 51-year-old security guard. When police arrived at the scene, the attackers opened fire on them as well. Two police officers were seriously wounded, one critically. Fortunately, both survived.
Jan G. Jr., the 28-year-old owner of the house, escaped through the back door in his underwear, holding a small child in his arms. It was this 28-year-old “businessman” that the gunmen were hunting. Breaking away from his pursuers, he hid at a relative’s house.
Ultimatum: 1,283 kg or Death to Everyone You Love
A few hours before the attack, a video with the ultimatum appeared online – like a scene from a gangster movie. Four armed men in masks, one speaking English with a Spanish accent, accused Jan G. of stealing 1,283 kilograms of cocaine from a “Belgian friend.”
“You have 12 hours to return the goods,” the video stated. “Otherwise, we will kill everyone you love. We promise, you will die.”
The deadline expired, and the criminals attacked the house.
Who Is Behind This?
Dutch media almost unanimously name Jos Leijdekkers, known as “Bolle Jos” – Europe’s most wanted drug lord, hiding in Sierra Leone. He was sentenced in absentia to years in prison for smuggling nearly 30 tons of cocaine. According to media reports, he enjoys the protection of the President of Sierra Leone, as he has a child with the president’s daughter and has invested huge sums in the country’s economy.
Leijdekkers’ lawyers deny his involvement in the attack, calling the allegations baseless. However, Justice Minister David van Weel linked the incident to the activities of international drug cartels and mafia operating across borders.
Police conducted a massive operation. The village was cordoned off; residents were ordered to stay indoors. Authorities deployed helicopters, dog units, and special forces. Eight suspects were pulled straight from cornfields.
According to latest reports, 34–35 people have been detained, including citizens of the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Algeria.
Heumen Mayor Joris Minces called the incident “absolutely unacceptable” and promised to do everything to restore order. Justice Minister van Weel described the violence as “unprecedented” in the country’s history.
Local residents are shocked but not surprised. One of them told NOS:
“We want this family to get out of here once and for all, so people can stop living in fear.”
Most agreed to speak only anonymously, fearing retaliation.
Former police chief Sander Schaapman stated:
“We must get rid of the idea that this is not the place for such things. This is the Netherlands now.”
The country that for decades taught Europe about the rule of law is increasingly unable to control its own territory. In 2021, prominent journalist Peter R. de Vries was shot dead on the street here. And now three dozen gunmen with assault rifles laid siege to a residential neighborhood. This is no longer an exception; it is the new normal.
