A WANTED man's days on the run from British police could soon be over.

Gary Robb, who skipped bail and fled the country when he was due to stand trial on drugs charges in 1997, is being held in custody on the sunshine island of Cyprus.

He and his brother, James, ran a string of nightclubs across the North-East in the 1990s, including the notorious Blue Monkey rave club, in Stockton.

The Monkey was raided in 1996 by more than 200 police officers in riot gear. They seized ecstasy, amphetamines and cannabis worth £10,000.

The same year Gary Robb fled the country, his brother was jailed for 12 years after admitting allowing his premises in Stockton to be used for drugs deals.

It is understood Cypriot authorities plan to turn Robb over to police in Britain.

A spokesman for Cleveland Police said last night: "Gary Robb is still wanted for failing to attend his trial on Teesside, almost ten years ago. A warrant is still outstanding for his arrest and in this regard we are monitoring the situation in northern Cyprus."

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Government launched an inquiry in August into the financial affairs of Aga Developments, a construction company headed by Gary Robb after he attempted to transfer £1.5m of investors' money from North Cyprus to Thailand.

The transaction was halted and the TRNC authorities were tipped off.

The 39-year-old fugitive father-of-two was detained in Cyprus last week for allegedly procuring forged documents to exempt him from completing a term of national service on the island, which has been his home for the past eight years.

Before letting him go, the Turkish authorities want to get to the bottom of a scandal that has seen thousands of luxury villas left uncompleted and hundreds of British holidaymakers thousands of pounds out of pocket.

Residents who have already moved into Aga Development homes have complained of being left without mains water or electricity.

Mr Robb denies any financial misdemeanours. The TRNC has no extradition treaty with the UK, but is thought to want rid of the fugitive.

His wife, who is from Wallsend, North Tyneside, flew back to Britain with one of the couple's children about a year ago, after the Cypriot mafia shot up Robb's luxury villa