Twelve in the dock accused of drug crimes

All 12 were arrested by police investigating a major cocaine smuggling racket earlier this year.

Standing in the dock at Liverpool Crown Court were:

Paul Law, 35, of Burns Close, Worsley Mesnes, and Warren McDonald, 47, of no fixed address who are both accused of conspiracy to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of a class A drug and four counts of conspiracy to produce a class A drug.

Caroline McDonald, 51, of Manley Street, Ince, is facing a charge of conspiracy to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of a class A drug.

William McDowall, 46, of Kingsley Avenue, Worsley Mesnes, is facing a charge of conspiracy to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of a class A drug, two charges of conspiring to produce a Class A drugs and one of a class B
 drug.

Antony Stephenson, 31, of no fixed address, is again charged with conspiring to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of a class A drug.

Damon Burke, 29, of Burns Close, Worsley Mesnes, and Claire Parkinson, 30, who lives on the same street, each are charged with two counts each of conspiracy to produce Class A drugs.

Daniel Harrison, 25, of Spilsby Square, Hawkley Hall and Stephanie Myers, 25, of Fisher Close, Worsley Mesnes, again both face a charge of conspiracy to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of a class A drug, while Harrison is charged with four counts of conspiracy to produce Class A drugs and Myers two.

Sarah Riches, 25, of Grenfell Close, Worsley Mesnes, Mark Conway, 39, of Keats Avenue, Worsley Mesnes, and Karen Taylor, 48, of Snowden Avenue, Worsley Mesnes, are all charged with conspiracy to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of a class A drug.

All 12 were remanded on bail pending a plea and directions hearing at the same court on Wednesday March 23.