Former US Paratrooper Detained in Moscow on Drug Trafficking Charges

American citizen Michael Travis Leake has been arrested in Moscow on suspicion of drug trafficking and running a drug dealing business involving young people. Leake, who has been living in Russia for over a decade, has been charged with selling mephedrone, a drug with effects similar to cocaine and MDMA. If found guilty, he could face up to 12 years in prison. The US State Department has said it will provide consular assistance and monitor the case closely. Leake's arrest comes weeks after Russia extended the detention of imprisoned American journalist Evan Gershkovich for another three months.