The trial of Serbian drug lord Srđan Jezdimir commenced in Ecuador, where he faces allegations of laundering $4.3 million accrued from drug trafficking between 2020 and 2023. This legal proceeding follows a preliminary hearing held yesterday, where the prosecution's charges against Jezdimir and four other co-defendants, alongside three corporate entities, were accepted by the judge.

At the hearing, it was confirmed that Jezdimir's personal properties and bank accounts related to his business operations would be temporarily frozen while the case proceeds.

The judge also noted that assets, including both movable and immovable property, would be seized, alongside a ban on the sale of a shrimp farming operation linked to him.

Jezdimir was arrested on November 20, 2023, as part of an extensive operation termed "Euro 2024".

After his apprehension, it was determined that he was also wanted by authorities in Austria and Croatia for drug-related offenses.

Local media have reported that he has been referred to as the "Serbian Escobar" during his time in Ecuador.

The prosecution claims that Jezdimir orchestrated a network that transferred over $4.3 million to Slovakia and Croatia via companies established in Ecuador, which are believed to have served as fronts for money laundering activities.

Investigative reports detail the establishment of security firms, shrimp farming ventures, and a transport business, with approximately $1.3 million reportedly invested in equipment, real estate, and vehicles.

Renato Rivera, head of the Ecuadorian police's organized crime unit, stated post-arrest that Jezdimir is associated with a Balkan cartel known for trafficking cocaine into Europe.

Jezdimir has a prior criminal record linked to drug trafficking; he was arrested in 2014 for smuggling 153 kilograms of cocaine and subsequently sentenced to 17 years and four months in prison in Ecuador.

However, in 2018, a judge reduced his sentence to 10 years, which led to his early release after four years due to good behavior, a decision that has generated significant controversy.

A former judge, Cristian Rouhiau Fabien, was sentenced to three years in prison in 2023 for having reduced Jezdimir's prison sentence, which enabled his release despite outstanding charges.

The judge was also fined $14,500 for his decision.

During his trial related to drug trafficking in South America, Jezdimir maintained that he had no previous criminal record in Serbia and claimed a successful sports career before moving to Ecuador to engage in business through his father's company.

He provided evidence of his mother's visit to Ecuador in 2013 for a potential farm purchase.

In related legal matters, Jezdimir's name surfaced in proceedings against a former inspector of the Serbian police, Božidar Stolić, who received a two-year prison sentence for leaking information about organized crime factions, including Jezdimir's connections.