MADRID (Reuters) - The Spanish police said on Tuesday they had arrested a Briton suspected of leading a drug-trafficking organisation, describing him as one of Europe's top 10 most-wanted criminals.

Brian Charrington was arrested along with his girlfriend and son as part of a police operation in which 13 people were detained between Spain and Venezuela.

It was not immediately clear when Charrington, a former car dealer from Middlesborough in northern England, had been arrested.

The police also said they had seized 220kg of cocaine from an apartment in Alicante, on Spain's east coast, and blocked bank accounts, property and goods worth over 5 million euros (S$8.24 million).

Spain remains a popular destination for British criminals, who exploited the lack of an extradition treaty between the two countries for several years until 1985. The police arrested British fugitive Mark Lilley in Malaga last week.

The Spanish police worked with forces from Venezuela, Colombia, Argentina and Britain in the operation, with the support of Ameripol.