DRUG dealers conspired to bring tens of thousands of pounds worth of cocaine into Worcester from Liverpool, a jury was told.

The trial of nine defendants opened today and will feature evidence obtained by bugging one of the defendant's vans, covert police surveillance, drugs seizures, a string of arrests, forensic evidence and the confiscation of mobile phones, including a so-called 'dirty phone' hidden in a hedge.

Officers found £19,000 of drugs in a wash basket at Worcester home and seized £52,000 from a man on a Liverpool to Worcester train.

Lee Bryant, aged 49, of Selborne Road West, Barbourne, Worcester; David Warren, aged 41, of Grasmere Drive, Warndon, Worcester; Ashley James, aged 31, of Cherington Close, Worcester; Deborah Crowther, aged 50; Todd Porter, aged 31 and Tiffany Porter, aged 21, all of Hollymount Road, Tolladine, Worcester; James Jones, aged 42, of Tolladine Road, Worcester and Liam Pearson, aged 51, of Aylton Road, Liverpool deny conspiracy to supply cocaine between September 6, 2011, and October 6, 2015.

Warren also denies transferring criminal property, either drugs or money, in April 2015.

James, 31, and partner Elizabeth Cottle, aged 25, of Cherington Close, Worcester, deny conspiracy to conceal criminal property between 2011 and 2015.

James also denies conspiracy to pervert the course of justice in October 2015.

The court heard police arrested Del Smith in Worcester with £460 worth of cocaine and a gym membership card belonging to Todd Porter in December 2014.

Smith, already convicted of conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs, had a phone linking him to defendants in the trial, the prosecution say.

They say on April 22, 2015 James took cash to Warren’s home.

This was the day before Pearson, described as the drugs courier, arrived from Liverpool.

Another street dealer, Thomas Day, was arrested on May 8, 2015 and found with eight wraps of cocaine worth £240.

The prosecution say his phone shows links to some of the defendants.

When police stopped Porter's housemates, Chris Cornes and Marcus Henney, in a Silver Ford Focus in 2015, they found a JD Sports bag containing £15,000-£22,000 worth of cocaine. Porter’s fingerprints were on the bag.

Officers searched 118 Bromyard Road, Worcester, the home shared by the men, finding a hand-written list made by Cornes which the prosecution say shows evidence of dealing.

£19,000 cash in a wash basket, part of £35,000 seized in total, and £1,700 of cocaine, were also found.

On June 23, 2015 Pearson drove from Liverpool to Selborne Road West, Barbourne, Worcester where Porter’s step-father, Bryant, 49, lived.

Pearson only stayed 12 minutes and was stopped on the M6 returning to Liverpool.

In his boot was found £29,995 in cash hidden in a pillow case inside a bin liner with Porter’s fingerprints on it.

Later that same day Porter was seen to leave the Barbourne address with an orange bag the size of a house brick, which the prosecution say contained drugs brought to Worcester by Pearson.

Mr Butterfield said a phone conversation recorded in James’s van between Todd Porter and his sister Tiffany Porter, referred to their mother, Deborah Crowther, ‘looking after £40,000 of drugs’.

The court heard on August 6 Samuel Mann and Todd Porter were stopped in Mann’s car and police found £2,000 worth of cocaine.

Maurice James, Ashley James's cousin, was arrested in Worcester on October 3 as he boarded a train to Liverpool. He had with him £52,000 in cash.

Mr Butterfield said Ashley James kept a 'dirty phone' hidden in a hedge near his parent's home address and used it to call the supplier in Liverpool.

Mr Butterfield also referred to James and partner Elizabeth Cottle living beyond 'lawful and legitimate means', holidaying in Egypt, Barbados and America. James also made a £7,000 deposit on a £50,000 Mercedes Benz.

The trial continues.