TWO East Lancashire men have been caught trying to smuggle illegal immigrants into the UK, a court heard.

Curtis Bell and Christopher Smith were in a van which was stopped as it tried to leave Calais.

Blackburn Magistrates heard Immigration officers stopped the van destined for the UK on April 24, and found eight Albanian nationals hiding in the back.

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Prosecutors said the illegal immigrants were found disguised behind boxes of serviettes which had been bought at the Ikea store in the the French port.

A Metropolitan Police officer who is on secondment to the Home Office travelled to Blackburn for the hearing at the Northgate magistrates court on Friday.

Bell, 33, of Pinewood, Hollytree Village, Blackburn, and Smith, 31, of Lindale Avenue, Blackburn, face eight charges of conspiring to facilitate the commission of a breach of UK immigration law by a non-EU person.

They were arrested on April 24 and charged on November 12.

The eight Albanians have been named as Marjan Temali, Edison Hasanbelli, Edjon Gjonaj, Xhemal Lita, Alderino Amarilso Noka, Irfan Kotarsa, Visar Qukaj.

They have been held a ‘removal centre’ where they will be held until they are deported back to Albania.

Both men were sent on bail to Preston Crown Court where they will appear on March 2.