Canadians were among scores of tourists who used the services of a sex cruise line which Thai police raided and shut down last week.

Police are now hunting the American owner of the company that was allegedly offering sex cruises around Phuket aboard luxury yachts.

William Anthony Ranovaro, the American owner of the firm, fled before the raid, according to a sources quoted in th Bangkok Post.

However, police seized pornographic material during a search of his home, the paper said.

According to Pol Lt-Col Supamit Sukcharoen, an inspector at the Thai Tourism Police Division, the activities of the tour company had been under observation for several months.

The company, which had an office in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, reportedly offered the cruises at three websites featuring photographs of naked models. Clients were collected at Phuket airport and taken to a hotel, before visiting a restaurant at Patong Beach, where a group of women awaited.

Prices for the cruises ranged from US$1,900 to $12,000, which included a charge for one escort. Thai media reported that Pusarisa Sukpipat, an employee of Life Style in Asia Co, was detained for questioning during the raid at the firm's site near Boat Lagoon pier.

He reportedly has told police that customers of the sex tours in the past included tourists from the Middle East, the United States, Canada and Brunei. Pongpayome Wasaphuti, Phuket governor, said police had launched a hunt for Mr Ranovaro, who faced charges of operating an illegal business and distributing pornography.