TWO large bags of cannabis were produced during the trial of a gang of alleged international drug smugglers.

The cannabis, clearly visible through plastic bags, was seized when two men were arrested in a cul-de-sac by a police team, the jury at Bolton Crown Court heard yesterday. The raid was carried out near the Three Arrows pub, Middleton, when police saw two vehicles parked boot to boot.

Eight men, including Paul Bell, of Bradshaw, are on trial but all deny they smuggled £200 million worth of cocaine, ecstasy and amphetamines into the North-west.

Giving evidence yesterday, Det Sgt Stephen Earnshaw said he and three other police officers were parked in a cul-de-sac watching Ian Longden and Christopher King.

Det Sgt Earnshaw said other officers were parked in another car behind them and when they suspected a drug transaction was happening they pounced.

There were two plastic containers in the rear of a van and inside were bags of cannabis in double heat-sealed plastic bags, weighing just under 12 kilos.

After months of investigation, officers raided a unit at the Bealey Industrial Estate, in Radcliffe, where they discovered a massive haul of drugs worth around £4.1 million.

Police recovered eight kilos of cocaine, 315,371 ecstasy tablets, 45.5 kilos of amphetamine and 27 kilos of cannabis, plus crack cocaine.

The jury heard earlier how drugs were hidden in containers half-filled with engine spare parts. They were sent to the Continent by a company called Augustus Services. The gang ran the drugs business along business lines with key members allegedly playing the roles of managing director, directors, sales reps and delivery men.

Paul Bell, aged 37, of Hardcastle Apartments, Bradshaw Hall Drive, was alleged to be regional sales manager and when police searched his flat in Bolton they found £50,000 stuffed into a number of shoe boxes.

The other defendants who all deny two charges of conspiracy to sell Class A and conspiracy to sell Class B drugs are Gerald McLeish, aged 42, of Clifton Close, Heywood; Paul Earle, aged 31, of Bradway Road, Huyton, Merseyside; Ian Longden, aged 38, of Ridgeway Street, Ancoats, Manchester; Paul Dunn, aged 34, of Beech Avenue, Prescott, Merseyside; Christopher King, aged 38, of Walsingham Avenue, Middleton; Nigel Hughes, aged 33, of Cricket Close, Chapelfield, Coventry; and Paul Wyatt, aged 38, of Mancroft Road, Caddington, Bedfordshire.

(Proceeding)