Pubdate:  Wed, 10 Sep 1997

.c Kyodo News Service    

MAEBASHI, Japan, Sept. 8 (Kyodo)   Nine Japanese and 11 foreigners 
have been arrested on suspicion of selling or buying stimulants, 
marijuana resin, cocaine, LSD drugs in Gunma Prefecture, north of 
Tokyo, police said Monday. 

The arrested included five who were suspected of selling those drugs  three
Iranians, one Brazilian and one Japanese  and 15 suspected of buying them
  five Iranians, two Filipinos and eight Japanese, police said. 

Those arrested on suspicion of buying the drugs have told police they sold 1
kilogram of amphetamine stimulants with a street value of 100 million yen,
police said. 

Police said they will seek the invokement of a special law on drug regulation
against the suspected ring leader, Mohammad Homayoun, a 31yearold Iranian.
The law carries the maximum penalty of life imprisonment. 

APNY090897 1031EDT