Eleven men are accused of smuggling around eight tons of cocaine from Colombia in several consignments hidden in sea freight containers through the city’s port.

The prosecution at the Hamburg Regional Court alleges that the gang was led by a 38-year-old man, and that three of the accused used their professional positions in port logistics companies to get the containers out of the port together with their cargo.

Two other defendants, who worked as self-employed hauliers, took over the further transport of the containers, according to the prosecution.

The trial has been scheduled for 16 days up until the end of the year.