FOUR men have been charged with conspiracy to import and supply class A drugs.

They were allegedly part of a group of 15 people who were involved in bringing £860,000 worth of heroin and crack cocaine into the country.

They were arrested following raids in Oldham and Burnley as part of operation challenger, which is Greater Manchester’s strategy for tackling alleged organised crime in the region.

The raids, which happened at 6am on April 30, involved more than 80 officers, including some from Lancashire Police, and were as a response to community concerns that street drug dealing was an issue in the areas.

Sixteen men and one woman were arrested on suspicion of drugs offences. Fifteen have now been charged.

Behzad Ali, 28, of Leyland Road, Moazam Ali, 26, of Belverdere Road, Tahir Shah, 33, of Thurston Street, and Sajid Khan, 33, of Colne Road, all Burnley, were remanded in police custody to appear at Minshull Street Crown Court, in Manchester on May 22.

They will appear alongside Abu Baker Khan, 26, of Cotton Mill Crescent, Werneth, Mohammed Hakim, 19, of Links Way, Oldham, Sabbiur Rahman, 18, of Hythe Walk, Chadderton, Dilwar Hussain, 18, of Firdale Walk, Oldham, Fazal Mi, 19, of Hawthorn Road, Hollinwood, Kamran Khan, 18, of Laxey Close, Chadderton, and Rahul Rashid Choudhury, 24, of Davies Street, Oldham.

Zinath Akhtar, 31, of Maygate, Abidur Rahman, 40, of Maygate, both Oldham, Lesley Ball, 22, of Higher House Close, Chadderton and a 17-year-old boy have been bailed accused of the same charge and will also appear at court.