A drug trafficker has been ordered to hand over more than £300,000 after Government officials revived a 13-year-old case against him.

Peter Grubesic, 44, fled to Holland in 1994 when the then Regional Crime Squad began to close in on a gang of drug traffickers following a long-running police operation.

Because of his escape, a financial investigation by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) under the Drug Trafficking Offences Act was suspended.

Ten years later Grubesic, formerly of Melrose Drive, off Sun Lane, Burley-in-Wharfedale, was arrested in Holland and, following a term of imprisonment there, was extradited to the UK to face trial last year.

He was convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to four years and six months in jail last month.

Because of the conviction, the Assets Recovery Agency, working in partnership with Customs officials, resurrected the financial case and a confiscation hearing has been held at Leeds Crown Court.

At the hearing Judge Jonathan Durham-Hall declared that Grubesic's benefit from drug trafficking was £304,000, which he ordered to be confiscated from him.

He ordered Grubesic to pay £100,000 immediately, with the remainder within a period of 12 months or face a default sentence of three years' imprisonment.

Judge Durham-Hall also commended the case teams at the Assets Recovery Agency and HMRC for their hard work.

Charlie Dickin, ARA's deputy director of operations said: "This was a complex investigation that was initially launched some years ago but stalled for a time due to the defendant leaving the jurisdiction.

"In spite of this, we have now achieved this excellent result which is due to the close and effective working relationship with our colleagues in HMRC. I too commend all those involved for their skill and determination throughout this long-standing case.

"It demonstrates how effective partnership working can dismantle criminal activity, whether individual drug dealers or drug syndicates and prevent them from re-investing in future criminal activity by stripping them of their assets."

A spokesman for the Assets Recovery Agency said: "The tracing of and recovery of assets is seen as an important element in the delivery of justice, and sends out a strong deterrent message.

"The overall aims of the strategy are to make greater use of the investigations of criminal assets in the fight against crime, recover money that has been made from crime or which is intended for use in crime, prevent criminals and their associates from laundering the proceeds of criminal conduct, and detect and penalise such laundering where it occurs, and to use the proceeds recovered for the benefit of the community."