THE owners of four nail bars, three in Blackburn and one in Bolton, have appeared before Blackburn magistrates charged in connection with police raids on Tuesday.

All four were charged with conspiring to produce cannabis and possession of controlled identity documents which they knew to be false, including passports, wage slips and bank statements.

Hoai Mia Coffey was also charged with providing accommodation for an illegal immigrants.

Tracy Yates, prosecuting, said the police operation behind the arrests had already resulted in several people being sent to crown court on conspiracy to produce cannabis and human trafficking charges.

She said their had been huge finds of cannabis in Boston, Lincolnshire, Walsall, Nelson and Tottington which were all linked to the inquiry.

Coffey, 35, of Dormer Street, Bolton, owner of Diamond Nails, Bolton, Van Dang, 48, of Harwood Street, Darwen, owner of a nail bar on Railway Road, Cam Thi Ho, 29, of Sunnymere Drive, Darwen owner of Diamond Nails, Higher Church Street, and Thi Ho, 34, of Harwood Street, Darwen, owner of a nail bar in the Mall, were all sent in custody to Preston Crown Court where they will appear on January 6 along with other alleged co-conspirators.