THREE customs officers are to face charges following an anti-corruption probe that led a North-East man to take his life.

Amjad Bashir was found by his wife, Farida, hanged in the garage of his Middlesbrough home two years ago.

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

Detectives spent six years probing a controversial method of catching drugs smugglers known as controlled deliveries. The inquiry was known as Operation Brandfield.

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 the informants and the drugs have gone missing.

Police have revealed that three customs officers are to be summonsed to court in September accused of misconduct in a public office, while five others will face no action.

The Northern Echo has since learned that Mr Bashir was highly unlikely to have been charged with any offence had he lived to see the conclusion of the investigation.

In an internal e-mail, Terry Byrne, director general of law enforcement at Customs and Excise, says: "I have no reason to believe that he would have been charged with any offence at all from the Brandfield investigation."

Last night, Mr Bashir's brother Anwar, also from Middlesbrough, said: "We always knew he was innocent, but we don't really know what went on.

"He was very upset at simply being accused of any wrong-doing and there is no way he would have ever become involved in anything corrupt."

Mr Bashir, who was said to be an officer with the "highest level of integrity and honesty", was suspended from duty in July 2001 after being arrested and bailed by police without any charges being brought.

An inquest heard how Mr Bashir had suffered a nervous breakdown and was distressed about being the victim of a possible injustice.

West Midlands Police said: "Following the submission of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service three customs officers (one serving and two retired) are due to be summonsed for the offence of misconduct in a public offence."

The maximum penalty for the offence is life imprisonment.