A FURIOUS union leader last night demanded an inquiry into a corruption investigation after a suspended customs officer was found hanged at his family home yesterday.

Ray Alderson, president of the Public and Commercial Services Union, blames the death of father-of-two Amjat Bashir, from Teesside, on a long-running police investigation which linked the dead man and seven colleagues to missing heroin.

Mr Alderson claimed the suspended officer had been driven to his death after a police chief announced last week that the investigation would not be completed until the end of 2003.

Describing Mr Bashir as "incorruptible", Mr Alderson called for a judicial review into the investigation - codenamed Operation Brandfield - which he claims has breached human rights legislation.

Mr Bashir was found hanged in the garage of his house in Acklam, Middlesbrough, by his wife, Frieda, shortly after 9am yesterday.

Mrs Bashir, a special needs teacher, was last night caring for her distraught children, Adam, ten, and five-year-old Armani.

Mr Alderson, who described Mr Bashir as "a diamond guy", said: "It is clear that the stress caused by this long-running investigation, during which West Midlands Police - who are conducting the inquiry - have failed to bring a single charge, is fully responsible for the untimely and tragic death of this officer.

"I find it hard to understand how, under the terms of the Human Rights Act, this inquiry can go on for so long, with so many people's lives in the balance.

"Now we find as a result there are two young children without a father."

Mr Bashir was one of seven customs officers, based in Leeds and London, who took part in an operation to seize a consignment of Class A drugs originating in Pakistan.

During the operation, one kilo of heroin went missing and all eight officers were suspended.

Mr Bashir, who maintained his innocence throughout, was suspended from duty in July, 2001, when he became caught up in Operation Brandfield, which has now been running for more than three years.

Colleagues are said to be furious that some officers were being subjected to the strain of the lengthy inquiry.

One said: "We are just left to rot, and to hell with us."

Mobeen Mehdi, leader of Middlesbrough's mosque, paid tribute to Mr Bashir.

He said: "Amjad was liked by everyone who came into contact with him. He was highly respected, just like all of his family, and his death is truly devastating.

"He must have been in a terrible state of mind, and if it is proved that this was caused by any investigation he was involved in, then some serious questions will need to be answered.

"I will remember him as a good, honest man and never a bad word was said about him."

A friend of the family said: "The family are deeply distressed at the moment. Amjat was a loving husband and father and his death has come as a total shock to everyone who knew him."

Last night, Cleveland Police confirmed that officers were called to an address after a body was found, and said they were not treating the death as suspicious.

A spokeswoman for Customs and Excise last night refused to comment on the ongoing investigation or on the dead officer's suspension from duty.

West Midlands Police could not be reached for comment last night.