London, Jan 14 (IANS): Four Indian-origin men have been jailed in Britain for printing and circulating 1.2 million pounds of counterfeit currency.

Amrit Karra, 45, and his brother Prem Karra, 43, both from Walsall, a town in the West Midlands and their brothers-in-law Rajiv Kumar, 40, of West Bromwich, and Yash Mahey, 44, of Handsworth in Birmingham, were convicted following a five-week trial at the Birmingham Crown Court Monday, the Mirror reported.

Two brothers, who used their printing firm to churn out the fake bank notes, have been jailed for seven years.

They used specialist paper inks and foil to run off the near-perfect forgeries of 10 pounds notes at their print-works in Hockley in Birmingham.

The court also sentenced the other accused Yash Mahey and Rajiv Kumar for four-and-a-half years for their involvement in the crime.

Judge Richard Bond said such offences undermined the integrity of Britain's financial system.

"People who commit offences of this type must realise that those who counterfeit currency must expect long sentences of imprisonment," Bond told the men.

"In this case the amount of money produced and disseminated into general circulation was enormous."

"Knowing, as you did, the consequences of being caught, you ignored your families. The risks taken in this case were high and you must personally take the blame," Bond added.