American musician arrested in Russia on drug suspicion

An American citizen, Michael Travis Leake, has been arrested in Moscow on suspicion of drug trafficking and has been ordered to be held for two months in pre-trial detention. Leake is accused of selling mephedrone and faces charges of production or distribution of drugs, which carry a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. The US State Department is aware of the reports and is pursuing consular access. Russian drug laws are strict, and Leake is not the first American to be arrested on drug charges in Moscow.