Overview
- The trial of seven men accused in the Hürth warehouse robbery began Monday, October 5, 2026, at the Cologne Regional Court and will continue into January 2027.
- Prosecutors say the warehouse held about 700 kilograms of marijuana in June 2024 and that roughly 350 kilograms were stolen, a loss they describe as the spark for the wider violence.
- The indictment alleges that four attackers entered the hall with at least one submachine gun, beat and bound a guard and threatened him by putting the gun barrel in his mouth.
- After the theft, investigators say the robbed group used kidnappings, torture and explosive attacks to pressure witnesses and try to recover the missing drugs, producing dozens of related prosecutions.
- The seven defendants, aged 36 to 48, face charges including particularly serious robbery, dangerous bodily harm and deprivation of liberty while a separate, months‑long trial of an alleged 24‑year‑old gang leader continues.