FOUR men have appeared before Blackburn magistrates charged with drug offences following dawn raids by the police on Tuesday.

Scott Parker, prosecuting, said the arrests had been made as a result of work by French and Belgium police to crack the codes of encrypted phones used by organised crime gangs.

Simon Day, 53, of Walmsley Street, Rishton, and Carl Williams, 39, of Wordworth Road, Accrington, are both charged with conspiring to supply cocaine, heroin, amphetamine and cannabis, conspiring to conceal money obtained from criminal activity and conspiring to produce ketamine.

Anthony Mark Gibson, 48, of Devonshire Street, Accrington, was charged with conspiring to produce amphetamine and ketamine and Anthony Bradshaw, 36, of Oakdene Avenue, Accrington, was charged with conspiring to supply cocaine and conspiring to produce ketamine.

All four were sent in custody to Preston Crown Court where they will appear on December 22.