Police in London are questioning a man who they believe was involved in a failed attempt to import over €440m worth of cocaine into Britain nearly five years ago.

The drugs were seized by gardaí at Dunlough Bay in west Cork in July 2007.

The 45-year-old man arrived at Heathrow on a flight from Madrid this afternoon on foot of a European Arrest Warrant.

Detectives in London believe the man was the senior drug gang member sent to Ireland to supervise the failed attempt to import the cocaine at Dunlough Bay, for onward transportation to Britain.

The plot failed when one of the RIBs bringing the drugs ashore capsized, leading to the biggest drugs seizure in the history of the State.

Police in England have been involved in a five-year joint investigation with gardaí.

Four of the gang members arrested here are serving jail sentences ranging from 10 to 30 years.

Another two were jailed for 14 and 30 years in Britain.

The man in custody in London is believed to have escaped from Dunlough Bay on foot, before making his way to Spain where he has spent the past three-and-a-half years in jail.