A DEDICATED North-East customs officer killed himself because he feared becoming the scapegoat in a police corruption probe, an inquest heard yesterday.

Amjad Bashir was found by his wife, Farida, hanged in the garage of his Middlesbrough home last April.

The 37-year-old father-of-two was one of nine elite Customs and Excise investigative officers under investigation by West Midlands Police.

Detectives have spent four years probing a controversial method of catching drugs' smugglers known as controlled deliveries.

The technique involved using informants to import drugs under the watchful eye of a customs team in the hope of catching both suppliers and customers. But it is believed that in some cases both informants and drugs have gone missing.

Mr Bashir was suspended from duty after being arrested as part of the probe, known as Operation Brandfield. He was later released without charge.

However, an inquest on Teesside heard yesterday how the strain of the inquiry took a heavy toll on Mr Bashir, described as "an officer with the highest level of integrity and honesty".

Robert Barber, Mr Bashir's supervisor at the Customs and Excise's National Investigation Service (NIS), told the inquest that Mr Bashir had "frequent sleepless nights and was often physically sick" with worry at the ongoing probe.

He said: "The matter dominated his life and he believed the police had only arrested him to justify the amount of time the investigation was taking.

"Amjad was concerned that despite this action, he had seen no evidence of senior management in Customs and Excise standing up for him against the police.

"The investigation was all about how we handled informants, how we conducted investigations. Amjad was of the view that the department had taken the approach of not wanting to get involved.

"Throughout my close involvement with Amjad, I believed his concerns were valid."

It is believed Mr Bashir was being investigated because the informant he was working with handed over a 2kg bag of heroin to three drug dealers.

His wife told the inquest: "He was devastated by the suspension.

"He was so ill - he was losing weight and he became very weak. I was really worried about him, he seemed agitated."

Mr Barber said: "He was extremely distressed about the injustices to him and his family. Nothing he told me indicated that there was any evidence against him whatsoever."

The court heard Mr Bashir had a breakdown only days before his death, after he told his parents about his suspension.

Ray Alderson, of the Public and Commercial Services Union, which is demanding an independent inquiry into the circumstances around Mr Bashir's suspension, last night blamed his death on the Brandfield inquiry.

He said: "I am totally convinced that none of the nine suspended officers are guilty of corruption. This investigation has been running for four years and no officer has been charged. I genuinely doubt there will ever be a basis for a charge."

Mr Bashir, who was based in the Customs NIS Leeds' division before his death, was talent-spotted in 1991 while working at Teesport docks and was offered a posting to the elite national investigation service to work on undercover drugs cases.

He had been a customs officer for 17 years and his wife told the inquest that he was dedicated to his job.

His brother, Anwar, read out a statement that Mr Bashir wrote some time before his death, which said: "I would never be prepared to ruin my professional career and personal life by becoming involved in any dishonest conduct."

Teesside coroner Michael Sheffield recorded a verdict of suicide. He said: "I am satisfied that the situation cost Mr Bashir considerable distress."

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: "It would be inappropriate for us to comment at this stage."