A 31-year-old yachtsman imprisoned in Italy for alleged drug smuggling has returned home.

Henry Stableford, 31, a boatbuilder from Cowes, was arrested on 12 October on an international warrant issued nine years ago. He was released yesterday after the Moroccan authorities who issued the warrant failed to serve extradition documents.

The warrant dates back to 1997 when Mr Stableford and three friends delivered a Royal Navy cutter from Southampton to Morocco. Ten weeks later the boat, owned by Columbians, was caught in a £270m drug bust. The four delivery crew were interviewed at the time and released by police. However in 2004 Mr Stableford’s crewmate John Packwood was arrested while on holiday in Spain. He spent 13 months in prison in Spain and Morocco awaiting trial before King Mohammed VI granted him a pardon.

The news of Mr Stableford’s release came as a surprise to his family and friends, who have been campaigning for his release. However, Interpol confirmed in a statement that all four men are still wanted by the Moroccon authorities.