A former football and rugby finance director has been charged with drugs and money laundering offences, following the arrest of eight individuals allegedly involved in a £4m illegal party drugs business.

Previously holding senior accounting roles at both Chester City FC and Widnes Rugby League Club, Paula White, 44, was arrested at her home by Greater Manchester Police, with a £120,000 Aston Martin seized as part of the operation.

White, along with seven accomplices is accused of running an online business selling class-B drug mephedrone - also known as meow meow. The substance is popular with party-goers for its stimulation of the heart but was strongly connected to the deaths of six individuals in 2011 and was banned three years ago.

Police made 12 arrests across the Greater Manchester area as part of investigations into the sale of 313 kilograms of the drug that had a street value of £3.8m through, the now-defunct website, wide-mouth-frogs.com.

An official wide mouth frogs Facebook page said it specialised in the distribution and sale of the widest range of 'research chemicals' to a worldwide customer base, but police believe it was a cover for the UK's largest supplier of the illegal party high.

White has been charged with conspiracy to supply class A, class B and class C drugs and two counts of money laundering offences and is to appear at Bolton Magistrates Court today (Friday).