Afghan Police Chief Jailed for Drug Smuggling

An Afghan court has sentenced a former senior police officer to 10 years in prison for helping traffickers smuggle drugs from Afghanistan to Iran. The jury found Commander General Malham Khan guilty Tuesday of cooperating with drug dealers and receiving bribes. He was also fined $14,000. Authorities arrested the general, who was in charge of Afghan provinces bordering Turkmenistan and Iran, earlier this year. Khan has denied all charges against him. The prosecution's evidence was based on the testimony of two police officers who worked with the general. Afghanistan is the world's leading producer of poppies, the raw material for opium and heroin. The country's multi-million- dollar drug trade is seen to be aiding the Taliban-led insurgency and encouraging corruption.