Moscow court arrests US citizen on drug trafficking charges

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) – A Moscow court on Saturday ordered the 30-day detention of a US citizen on charges of drug trafficking.

The arrest comes just days after a prisoner exchange between Moscow and Washington, in which Mark Fogel, who had been serving a sentence in Russia for drug-related offenses, was released as part of the swap.

"The Solntsevsky District Court of Moscow granted the investigator’s request to impose a preventive detention measure on Wayne Byers for a period of 30 days," the court's press service said.

According to officials, Byers was detained by customs officers at Moscow's Vnukovo International Airport during a baggage inspection. Authorities suspect him of drug smuggling, as marijuana was found in his luggage.