Trial begins in Dettifoss drug import case

The main hearing has begun in the Dettifoss drug case, in which four men are charged with a large-scale narcotics offence, mbl.is reports.

The men are accused of arranging the import of 14,100 millilitres of amphetamine base, with a concentration of 47 to 48 per cent, in March and April. The drugs were allegedly intended for distribution and sale in Iceland.

According to the prosecution, the substance was concealed in four Absolut vodka bottles inside a bag aboard the container ship Dettifoss, which arrived in Iceland from Bremerhaven, Germany, during the night of Monday, April 13.

Kastriots Pepaj and Sævar Örn Hilmarsson are accused of helping organise the import. Prosecutors say they communicated through the Signal messaging app and met several times before the shipment.

The other two defendants, who were crew members, are accused of receiving the drugs in Bremerhaven, hiding them aboard the ship and transporting them to Iceland. They have pleaded guilty, but do not admit joint criminal liability and have not agreed to the confiscation of a phone.

Pepaj was arrested on April 22 and has remained in custody since then. Sævar Örn Hilmarsson and the two crew members were arrested when Dettifoss arrived in Reykjavík on April 13.

The hearing is taking place at Reykjavík District Court and is expected to continue until Friday.