Four more charged over meth lab discovery

Four more men have been charged in connection with the alleged production of meth from a lab in rural Warwickshire after five Mexican nationals appeared in court.

The men are all accused of conspiracy to produce methamphetamine - a Class A drug that is highly addictive and can lead to severe psychosis, a heart attack or a stroke.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) alleges that the men were part of a group manufacturing the drug at a meth lab near the hamlet of Furnace End.

Kenneth Burton, from County Durham, Paul Harkness Mawby and Anthony Devine, both from Stockton-on-Tees, all aged 34, and Mohammed Khan, 36, of Birmingham, were arrested on Thursday.

Officers from the NCA made the arrests after carrying out searches in Birmingham and the North-East.

Burton, of The Meadows, Wynyard, Harkness Mawby, of Pacific Drive, Thornaby, and Devine, of Crosswell Park, Ingleby Barwick, are due to appear at Teesside Magistrates' Court on Saturday, the agency said.

Khan, of Lea Road, Sparkhill, is due to appear at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on the same day.

The five Mexican nationals were arrested in August and appeared at Warwick Crown Court in September.

Judge Rhona Campbell was told by defence barristers at the hearing that all five defendants denied any knowledge of drugs production, with one claiming to be a chef and another to have been involved in construction work.

They were told they would face a trial at the same court on 15 February.

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