THREE men were remanded in custody charged with conspiring to make counterfeit banknotes when they appeared before Hyndburn magistrates in Accrington.

They were arrested following a swoop by specialist police officers as part of an eight-month investigation into fake currency.

Michael Hartley, 54, of Snowden Avenue, Blackburn; Muntaz Khan, 42, of Reeth Way, Accrington; and Francis Jenkins, 46, of Woodhall Road, Liverpool, will appear before Burnley Crown Court on May 3.

Jenkins is also charged with the theft of a Rover 75 car worth £16,000.

Claire Fanning, for the Crown Prosecution Service, told magistrates that police had recovered alleged counterfeit £50 and £20 notes with a potential value of £150,000, along with a printing press and silver foil.

The charges cover the period from March 2001 to April 25 2002. Applications for bail were refused.

The major crime unit launched Operation Oklahoma to target fake currency last September.