A RABBI ran a cocaine factory with a convicted drug dealer, a court heard.

Rabbi Baruch Chalomish and Nasir Abbas were arrested when police swooped on a Manchester apartment allegedly being run as a cocaine supply factory.

The 'wealthy' rabbi provided the finance for the operation while Abbas was the `know-how', a jury at Manchester Crown Court was told.

Abbas told police the Shudehill Hotel flat was visited by a number of women, some of whom `may have provided sexual services' and he rented the apartment for the rabbi who wanted to `relax and have a party'.

Chalomish told police he took cocaine when he couldn't sleep.

Officers found around 50g of cocaine, cutting agent used to dilute drugs and digital scales as well as £2,555 in cash at the apartment.

Police then raided the rabbi's home in an orthodox Jewish community on Upper Park Road, Salford, and found a further 50g of cocaine and £15,345 in cash.

Chalomish, 54, has admitted two charges of possessing drugs but denies two counts of supplying class A drugs.

Abbas, 54, of Manchester Road, Chorlton, denies a charge of supplying class A drugs. Prosecutor Michael Goldwater told the jury: "Our case is that Abbas and Chalomish are dealing in controlled drugs. They were running what we say was a commercial cocaine supply operation from an apartment hotel in Shudehill. Rabbi Chalomish also had a substantial store of drugs, cocaine, and cash at his home address."

Abbas, the jury was told, had been convicted of conspiring to supply class A drugs in 1996. The jury also heard that, although Chalomish is in the dock, Abbas had failed to surrender to bail and was being tried in his absence.

Proceeding