Giles Lomax was arrested last week along with 95 other suspects in a huge operation launched by the Civil Guard to stem imports of cannabis from North Africa.

The smuggling operation is alleged to have been involved in smuggling 54 tons of hashish in the last two years - worth £90 million on the streets of northern Europe. Mr Lomax, whose family are still believed to be living in Knutsford, ran Nautica Campomar, a speed boat business at a marina east of the Costa Brava city of Alicante.

The 35-year-old is alleged to have been responsible for a 63-strong fleet of high-powered boats which shipped the drugs from Morroco and on to a supply network across Europe.

It operated on three levels - shipping hashish from Morroco, supplying smaller dealers in France and Italy and then laundering the proceeds. Yesterday (Tuesday) Spanish press reports claimed that the authorites were investigating links between the network and businesses in Gibraltar alleged to be involved in money laundering.

Sources said Mr Lomax had gone to Spain with his parents. His family decided to return to this country but Mr Lomax stayed on, eventually marrying a local woman.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.