Eight people are to appear in court charged with laundering up to �100m for criminals around the world.

Customs and Excise officers seized �200,000 from homes and business premises across London on Tuesday.

Five Iranians and three Indians, who are all UK residents, were charged under the Drugs Trafficking Act 1994 and the Criminal Justice Act 1998.

They are expected to appear at Horseferry Magistrates' Court.

The seven men and one woman are:

• Javad Ghotbi-Ravandi, a money broker, of St John's Wood, north London.
• Gholam Ali Sacki of New Southgate, north London.
• Hooshang Lanjani Abbaspour, of Hampstead, north west London.
• Ketan Thakrar, director of a computer chip company, of Rayners Lane, north west London.
• Kaushik Tailor, a director of a computer hardware company, of Palmers Green, north London.
• Rajnikant Tailor, a director of a computer hardware company, of Luton, Bedfordshire.
• Rajesh Tailor, of Harrow, north-west London, also a director of a computer hardware company.

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On 6 November 2003, Mr Javad Ghotbi-Ravandi and Mr Gholam Ali Sacki were discharged with "not guilty" verdicts.

• Hooshang Lanjani Abbaspour was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment.
  
• Ketan Thakrar was sentenced to 15 months;
  
• Kaushik Tailor to 10 months;
  
• Rajnikant Tailor to 12 months;
  
• and Rajesh Tailor to 8 months in prison.