A man alleged to have organized others to smuggle more than 500 tons of diesel using an illegally refitted ship stood trial on Friday at Huangpu District People's Court.

Prosecutors said the diesel involved was worth more than 3.1 million yuan (US$440,000) with the gang evadingnearly 1.3 million yuan in tax.

They said that on March 7 this year,Feng was told by a customer to transport the diesel although he knew they didn't have formal transport procedures and that the diesel had been illegally sourced.

At dawn the next day, his employees sailed the ship to waters near the Shanghai Pudong International Airport and piped the diesel from another ship. To avoid detection they had shut down their maritime navigation system, the court was told.

As they were making their way back to theWaigaoqiao area, they were intercepted by police.

Feng was apprehended on May 15 and charged with the crime of concealing illicit gains.

Feng's lawyer asked for leniency as his client was a first offenderinstigated by others to commit the crime. Hisactions hadn't caused any real harm to society, the lawyer added.

However, prosecutors said Feng, who they said was the chief culprit, hadknowingly transported the diesel for his own profit, clearly knowing that the shipping of large amounts of diesel posed a risk of polluting the water.

The court will give its verdict at a later date.