AN off-licence assistant was conned out of £84,000 by two men who convinced him they had perfected a scientific way of making counterfeit cash, a court was told.

The scam, which was said to be capable of making £1million a day, involved powder, liquid, tinfoil and ultraviolet lighting and a man standing on the notes for 10 minutes.

Saghir Ahmed was talked into handing over £42,000 after being shown the chemical process in a Travelodge hotel room at Burnley's Gannow Top.

Mr Ahmed, who had originally been approached at his brother's shop in Daneshouse Road, Burnley, later parted with another £42,000, Burnley Crown Court was told.

After realising he had been duped he kept in contact with one of the alleged three man con team and told him his friend wanted to do business.

The fraudster leapt at the chance, trying to get him to persuade his friend to invest £400,000 but was caught out by undercover police, it was claimed.

Eric Feyou, 32, of Mitchum, and Bruno Pankui, 35, of Newmarsh Road, both London, were later arrested.

The prosecution allege before February 27 last year, the duo, maybe with others, had hatched a plot to steal substantial sums of money by defrauding gullible victims in the counterfeit scam.

The defendants both deny conspiring to steal between January 1 and March 22 2005.

The court was told that an officer, who introduced himself as a property developer, was told the process could produce £1million in 24 hours in sterling, euros or dollars and there was talk of getting an iron to flatten the money.

The jury heard how Pankui began to demonstrate the process which he claimed would produce different serial numbers.

Face masks were handed out, he and Feyou put on latex gloves and Feyou wore a white coat. A note was produced in the dark.

Mark Lamberty, prosecuting, claimed Feyou and Pankui came to Burnley "with a whole cartload of equipment" to con whoever was in front of them out of cash.

He alleged that when the undercover officer went to the Travelodge Pankui told him genuine money was needed "just to take the colour off" for the fake cash and said he would get his cash back. He began to demonstrate the process, saying it would produce different serial numbers.

Mr Lamberty said when interviewed by police, Feyou said he had come from Cameroon in December 2004 . He claimed he had been an innocent victim of the con at Pankui's hands after handing over £15,000.

Giving evidence, Mr Ahmed said on February 27 Hamad went to the off-licence, showed him two genuine-looking £20 notes and said he made them. The man returned the next day carrying a black bag, wanting to show him how he made the money.

Questioned by Mr Lamberty, Mr Ahmed said they went to the Travelodge and he was shown a procedure involving white power, liquid, blue and white lighting and tin foil.

The alleged victim handed over a £20 note and Hamad put it between two negatives, wrapped them in foil and stood on them for about 10 minutes.

Mr Ahmed, who said he had been asked to note the serial number of his note, was then shown three £20 notes, with different serial numbers.

He latyer handed over £42,000, but instead of returning with counterfeit cash Hamad called and said he had been stopped by the police asking about the chemicals in the box.

The shop worker continued: "At that stage I got a bit worried. I thought something has gone wrong here.

"He rang me again saying he was still at the police station a couple of hours later. He kept saying he would come back and finish the process."

The alleged victim said the next day, March 4 a different man calling himself Wilfred rang, saying he was in France and that Hamad had been held up. The day after a third man, giving the name Felix, phoned from Londoon, promised he would come and finish the process.

Mr Ahmed said on March 6, he picked Felix up at Preston station and they went to the Burnley Travelodge. Felix went through his process but said it had gone wrong because of the time it had been left and he would need another £42,000 and more chemicals. Mr Ahmed claimed he didn't want to go along with it but felt he had no choice if he wanted his money back.

The next morning, said Mr Ahmed, he was woken by a call from Felix saying he was back in London and his home had been burgled.

(proceeding)