A Bradford businessman is to be freed after spending two-and-a-half years in a Dominican Republic jail on money laundering charges.

Precious metal trader Asaf Darr, 46, pictured, and two Dutch colleagues were jailed in November 1999 after they were found to be carrying 750,000 US dollars (£550,000) when they returned to the Dominican Republic following the collapse of a gold buying deal in neighbouring Haiti.

Despite them being acquitted of the charges in March they remained in prison after prosecutors appealed against the court's decision.

Mr Darr's daughters Sarah, 20, of Queensbury, and Sophie, 19, of Fairweather Green, have campaigned relentlessly for his release and his case was taken up by pressure group Fair Trials Abroad.

Today the Foreign Office confirmed that Mr Darr, 46, is to be released after prosecutors dropped the appeal against his acquittal.

And speaking exclusively to the Telegraph & Argus on a mobile telephone from Najayo Prison in the Dominican Republic, Mr Darr said he was overjoyed by the news.

"I am waiting to see it, to believe it," he said. "I can't describe to you in words what it will be like to see my family again. The conditions in here are terrible and nobody cares about anything."

A Foreign Office spokesman said Mr Darr is due to fly home later this week, but will have to pay for his own deportation.

Mr Darr, who was brought up in Bradford before he emigrated to the US, said one of his Dutch colleagues will also be freed, but the other will face a court case tomorrow to decide his fate.

He said: "We were not found guilty and haven't done anything wrong, but they want to put a deportation order against us. They always want the upper hand.

"They are now saying that I have to go from here to the Justice Palace - although I don't know why - before I can go to the airport. This is not normal procedure, so I don't know what will happen there."

He also hopes to recover his share of the money - which he believes was placed in a Dutch bank - along with compensation.

After his release, Mr Darr plans to visit his three-year-old son in Miami before taking Sarah and Sophie on holiday in the US.

Today, Sarah said she was cautious about celebrating too much because they had had their hopes dashed in the past.

"Last time we were told this was at the beginning of the appeal and he isn't home yet," she said.

"We won't believe this news until he is actually here. I am excited but I don't want to get too excited. I just want him to be out of there and phoning me from the airport."

She said she had spoken to her father and the Foreign Office it was hoped he will leave the Dominican Republic on Thursday and arrive in Britain on Friday.