Iran nabs S African citizen for drug trafficking

Tehran, Sep 3 (Reuters) Iranian police have arrested a South African man on suspicion of drug smuggling, the semi-official Fars news agency reported today.

Drug traffickers and dealers may receive a death sentence under Iranian law, depending on the kind and amount of drugs involved.

Police at Tehran's Imam Khomeini airport arrested the man, identified only as ''Michael'', when sniffer dogs discovered 4.5 kilograms of crack cocaine in his luggage on August 28, Fars said.

It is thought that the man was trying to smuggle the drugs out of Iran to South Africa, the news agency reported.

Judiciary officials were not immediately available for comment. South African embassy officials said they had no knowledge of the case.

Iran lies on a main drugs trade route from Afghanistan and has historically had high levels of opiate usage.

The government has tried to tackle the problem by funding rehabilitation clinics and fortifying its eastern border.

REUTERS AB HT2105