Eight men have been charged with drugs offences after police executed search warrants across Scotland, Cheshire and North Wales as part of a major investigation.

Officers executed warrants at 10 addresses on Thursday as part of an 18-month North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (Titan) investigation into alleged conspiracy to supply Class A and B controlled drugs.

The operation was carried out with the support of officers from Police Scotland, Cheshire Police, North Wales Police and the National Crime Agency.

Police said that eight people were each charged with four offences of conspiracy to supply cocaine, ecstasy, cannabis and amphetamine.

The men charged south of the border were Steven Roberts, 39, of Cartrefllfliyd, Cefn Uchaf, Cyfflliog, Ruthin, North Wales, Dale Owen, 39, of Deva Close, Mickle Trafford, Cheshire, Steven McEntee, 32, of Egerton Park, Rock Ferry, Wirral and Gary Jones, 41, of Prentice Road, Rock Ferry, Wirral.

In Scotland the men charged were Scott George McAllister, 44, of Abbotsford Court, Cumbernauld, James McLaughlin, 42, of Hazeldene Park, Kilwinning, James Campbell Clark, 42, of Hazeldene Park, Kilwinning, and Steven Clark, 41, of Castle Avenue, Stevenston.

A ninth man arrested, a 34-year-old man from Rock Ferry, Wirral, was released under investigation.

Police said that Jones and McEntee were remanded in custody and will make their first appearances via video link on Thursday October 19.

They said the remaining six men were remanded in custody following an appearance at South Sefton Magistrates' Court on Saturday, and are due to next appear at Liverpool Crown Court on November 10.

The arrest phase follows a day of action on September 21 2017, when warrants were executed at a number of properties across the Wirral, Milton Keynes and Bristol areas.