ILLEGAL drugs were produced in an industrial unit then put on to the black market, a jury has been told.

Some of the amphetamine tablets made found their way to Burnley, others to Manchester and some were even traced to Belfast.

A man alleged to have been involved in financing and managing drug production has gone on trial at Preston Crown Court.

Martin Day, 29, of Queens Road, Accrington, denies offences of conspiracy to produce controlled drugs and conspiracy to supply controlled drugs, both between July 1, 1997 and August 21, 1998.

Mr David Pickup, prosecuting, told the jury at the start of a trial that a pill-making machine was imported from China. It was used to produce amphetamine sulphate tablets, which were then distributed.

In August 1997, a man, not the defendant, began making inquiries about obtaining the chemical ketamin. Eighty kilos of ketamin were later bought by him at a cost of £25,000.

Two pill making machines later arrived from China in 1998.

The following month arrangements were made for an industrial unit to be rented at the GEC business park in Clayton-le-Moors. The prosecution said that behind the scenes illegal drugs were produced in tablet form. Police began keeping covert observations on what was going on. Seizures were made of tablets that had been produced on the machine. Over 500 were recovered in Belfast in July 1998, three from a visitor at Strangeways prison in Manchester and over 500 recovered in the Burnley area.

They had a tomahawk logo on them.

A forensic examination of the machine showed that it had been used to produce drugs.

Also found was a design that also appeared on the tablets and tins of coloured paints that matched some colours of tablets.

Mr Pickup said that several other people had admitted drug offences in relation to the same operation.

Police pounced on August 20, 1998 as a machine was being moved to another unit.

The prosecution allege that the defendant was involved in the financing and managing of the drug production and supply.

(Proceeding)

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