Trial Against Alleged Gang Leader Over Murder Conspiracy

A high-profile trial is set to commence in Berlin, focusing on a 34-year-old man accused of orchestrating a murder plot as part of organized crime activities. The defendant is alleged to have been involved in eight murders and is charged with attempted murder related to a failed assassination in Berlin in February 2020.

According to prosecutors, the accused, a Serbian national, was extradited from Spain in March 2025 following a coordinated investigation with the Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt). His arrest in Barcelona on October 18, 2024, marked a significant development in ongoing efforts to dismantle the so-called Balkan cartel, of which he is purportedly a key figure.

The trial, which is expected to attract considerable attention, is scheduled to begin on June 10, 2025, under heightened security measures. A total of 14 court sessions have been planned to address the serious nature of the allegations against the defendant.

The charges stem from a botched assassination attempt on February 17, 2020, in the Charlottenburg district of Berlin. The intended victim was a leader of a rival criminal faction, who managed to escape when shots were fired at him. However, just two weeks after the incident, he reportedly died in a car bomb explosion in Montenegro.

Investigators first learned of the murder plot through data obtained from messages on the encrypted messaging service Sky ECC, which has been a critical tool in uncovering organized crime networks. The accused has thus far refrained from making any statements regarding the allegations.

Europol has categorized the 34-year-old as a "High Value Target" within organized crime, highlighting his significant role in criminal enterprises. Authorities from Austria, Croatia, Montenegro, and Serbia have also issued warrants for his arrest due to his suspected involvement in multiple murders across the region.