A JURY trying five men accused of running a multi-million pound Bolton drugs ring has been listening to evidence about the arrest of two of the men at a Warrington retail park.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that almost £6,000 in cash was found in the vehicle belonging to one of the accused.

He had arrived in the car park of IKEA at the Gemini Retail Park on July 8, 1999.

Officers from the Greater Manchester Police Drugs Squad gave evidence about the observations they made before Bolton man Lee Bonney and Warrington man Raymond Hargreaves were arrested.

Bonney was seen leaving the diner in Bolton, alleged to be the drugs gang's headquarters, at 12.38pm and arriving at IKEA on a red-and-white motorcycle at 3.30pm.

A four-wheel drive Vauxhall Frontera driven by Hargreaves was searched following his arrest and a green Marks and Spencer bag recovered from its front seat.

It was found to contain £5,825 in various bank notes, said Mr Charles Garside, QC, prosecuting.

Quizzed by Mr Rex Tedd, QC, for Bonney, DC Greg Pearson said that no drugs were found during a search of the Frontera.

He added that he was not aware that the motorcycle had been searched for drugs.

In the dock are Bonney, aged 34, of Great Lever, Bolton; Hargreaves, aged 41, of Callands, Warrington; John Barber, aged 35, of Breightmet; Alan Bentley, aged 34, of Astley Bridge; Lee Carl Entwistle, aged 21, of Brownlow Fold, all Bolton.

They deny conspiring together and with 25-year-old Brian Roper and 48-year-old Martin Wright, both of Deane, Bolton, to supply heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine between August 1998 and November 1999.

It is claimed police smashed the multi-million pound drugs operation by planting a hidden microphone at Debbie's Diner, on the outskirts of the town centre, owned by Billy Webb, and where "directors" Barber, Bonney and Bentley held regular "board meetings".

The jury has heard that 41-year-old Webb, of Morrison Street, Great Lever, who was central to the alleged conspiracy, has died since his arrest.

Drugs brought in from Liverpool were distinctively packaged before being left by those higher up the chain in discreet public places, such as Moss Bank Park, for others to pick up and sell on, claims Mr Garside.

Entwistle was "an essential link between the main players", involved in wholesale distribution further down the chain, and Hargreaves, who was not part of the observations at the diner, was one of the links between Liverpool and Bolton involved in the supply of drugs, he alleges.

In the three weeks that the trial has so far lasted, the jury has viewed covert surveillance video recordings of daily comings and goings at the diner and of alleged meetings inside.

Members have also listened to enhanced recordings from the secret microphone claimed to reveal discussions about the delivery and supply of drugs.

(Proceeding)