THREE men allegedly hatched a plot to make large amounts of fake bank notes, a jury was told.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Mohammed Mumtaz Khan, Michael Hartley, and Liverpool printer Francis Jenkins each played important roles in the criminal business.

Jenkins was recruited by his co-defendants to make thousands of imitation watermarks ready for production of the counterfeit cash but police swooped after Khan turned up and collected the order on a takeaway car park in March, the court was told.

Hartley, 55, of Snowdon Avenue, Blackburn and Jenkins have both admitted conspiring to make counterfeit notes. Khan, of Reethway, Accrington, denies the allegation.

Heather Lloyd, prosecuting, said on April 25, Jenkins, a printer with 20 years' experience, was arrested in Liverpool and his home and business premises at Queen's Dock, were searched.

She said his unit was a "veritable Aladdin's Cave," of equipment which could be used to make counterfeit goods, notes and coins as well as for legitimate purposes.

Police found a large quantity of imitation watermarks and a fake £10 note cut into pieces.

Police interest in Khan and Hartley began in September 2001 when a BMW was stopped at Charnock Richard services. Khan was driving and Hartley was in the passenger seat but gave a false name, the court heard.

Miss Lloyd said blank and forged documents were found in the car as well as counterfeit Bank of Scotland £20 notes with a face value of more than £1600. Khan said the car was borrowed for an innocent purpose and claimed he had nothing to do with the fake items.

On July 31, Khan went to another shop in Manchester and paid £500 for a hot foil press and a roll of special foil for hot foil printing on paper.

Miss Lloyd said in March this year, Khan was seen by the police in the car park of Kentucky Fried Chicken in Samlesbury in a car with Jenkins.

She said Khan got out carrying a box, put it in his car and drove off. Officers followed and stopped him and found 2,500 sheets of A4 paper, each bearing three separate Queen's head imitation water marks positioned for the making of counterfeit money.

(Proceeding)