South Australian man Kosta Pehlivanidis has been ordered to stand trial after allegedly attempting to traffic 8 kilograms of cocaine, worth more than $3 million.
The 31-year-old appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday, February 19, and pleaded not guilty to his charge of attempting to traffic in a large commercial quantity of a controlled drug.
According to The Advertiser, Alex Scott, who represents Mr Pehlivanidis, had previously told the court he was considering arguing his client had no case to answer, but on Monday, he said his client did have a case to answer.
Mr Pehlivanidis was arrested alongside his 82-year-old grandmother Eudoxia Pehlivanidis at their Flinders Park home in Adelaide last February.
Mrs Pehlivanidis had her charges withdrawn after the court was previously told she had “significant dementia.”
Court documents indicated that the delivery person (on the day of the arrest) was directed to leave the package of cocaine at the back of Mrs Pehlivanidis’ house, however police attended hours later and found Mrs Pehlivanidis and her grandson with the open package.
Mr Pehlivanidis is expected in the District Court for arraignment in May.
Source: The Advertiser.