TWO men have been cleared of involvement in a drugs case part way through their trial.

Zulfiqar Khan, aged 30, of Lorne Street, Farnworth, had denied conspiracy to supply cocaine and Abbas Shafiq, aged 24, of Clifford Street, Rochdale, had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to supply cannabis.

At the end of the prosecution evidence, on the sixth day of their trial at Bolton Crown Court, their barristers argued that they had no case to answer.

Judge Peter Davies agreed and they were formally found not guilty.

The trial of four other men continues.

Asif Khan, aged 34, of Rosamond Street, Great Lever, and Ziaullah Khan, aged 40, of Westbourne Avenue, Great Lever, both deny conspiracy to supply nearly 1kg of cocaine, found after police raided a house in Eastbank Street, Astley Bridge, in August 2013.

Additionally, Asif Khan denies arranging a £42,500 cannabis deal in Ardwick in July 2013.

Sajad Ahmed, aged 43, of Russell Street, Bolton, and 24-year-old Abdul Ali, of Rishton Lane, Great Lever, both deny conspiring to supply cannabis.

The trial is expected to end next week.