A DRUGS boss has been jailed for running a "large and lucrative" network smuggling cocaine hidden in air conditioning units.

Simon Dutton, of Manorfield Close, Heaton, was sent to prison for 14 years for masterminding a racket importing £1.6million of cocaine into the North West from Spain.

The 39-year-old was once one of the UK's Most Wanted fugitives who escaped justice for six years.

He was arrested in Thessaloniki in Greece the day after Boxing Day and was successfully extradited back to Britain.

He admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine and money laundering at Liverpool Crown Court and was sentenced today.

Detective Sergeant Colin Shackleton said: "The sentence brings to an end a prolonged multi-agency investigation spanning across Europe.

"Dutton and his associates led lavish lifestyles living well beyond their means and purchasing expensively furnished houses, high powered cars, jewellery and foreign holidays using the proceeds of their illicit enterprise.

"Drugs cause widespread damage in the community and we will not tolerate anybody trying to flood our streets with these substances.

"I want to pay tribute to the intelligence and operational teams in Thessaloniki and Athens Greek police who played a vital role in finding and catching Dutton.

"I hope that this sends the message that no matter where you go and how long you run for, we will find you and bring you to justice."

The prosecution stemmed from a joint operation between GMP, the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Cheshire Constabulary.

Dutton used an unsuspecting courier service to import freight into the UK from Spain between July and September 2009 and concealed cocaine in the shipments, the court was told.

The criminal and his associates set up a company in Leeds to enable the shipments to enter the UK.

In September 2009, officers intercepted 10 1/2 kilogrammes of cocaine with a street value of £1.5million stashed in the imported air conditioning units.

Police subsequently searched five properties across Greater Manchester linked to Dutton – including what was described as a "cocaine factory" in Stockport – and found large quantities of the class A drug, drug making equipment, weapons, cash and false documentation.

The rest of Dutton's gang were arrested in April 2010 and later prosecuted at Liverpool Crown Court.

In total 18 people were convicted as part of the investigation and sentenced to more than a combined 170 years in prison.

Dutton fled the UK at the point his co-conspirators were taken into custody and a European Arrest Warrant was issued at Liverpool Magistrates' Court in July 2011.

It transpired the 39-year-old used a forged Irish passport to travel around Europe undetected on 30 separate occasions and established an account in a false name in order to launder cash.

But he was finally tracked down to a hotel in Greece.

Under questioning from local police Dutton claimed to be a Romanian national and when this was proved to be false he changed his story and stated he was actually Bulgarian.

In February he was brought back to Britain in handcuffs.

NCA Branch Commander Jayne Lloyd said: "Dutton was one of the main players in a large and lucrative criminal organisation based in the north west of England.

"He spent six years on the run from law enforcement, but the NCA has global reach and we never give up the hunt.

"We are grateful to our partners in the UK and the Hellenic Police who helped us track down Dutton and bring him back to the UK to face justice."