BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Montana's most populous county has seen a sharp increase in violent crime since the coronavirus pandemic began, driven by more domestic abuse and drug-related crimes,...

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) — Police: Huntsville, Alabama, police officer killed in shooting during drug-related investigation. .

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) — Police: Huntsville, Alabama, police officer killing in shooting during drug-related investigation.

GRETNA, La. (AP) — A man already serving a 65-year sentence for drug-related crimes now faces a life sentence for a killing six years ago in suburban New Orleans.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Law enforcement official says political activist Ed Buck to face federal charge in drug death at his California home.

BALTIMORE (AP) — A federally funded task force representing more than a dozen federal, state and local law enforcement agencies was unveiled Wednesday, charged with investigating violent crime in...

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) — Police say they arrested eight people and found drugs and a stolen car during a raid of a house in West Virginia.

The Huntington Police Department says a SWAT team...

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Park Yoo-chun, a former member of the South Korean boy band JYJ, received a 10-month suspended sentence on Tuesday for illegal drug use.

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lankan prison authorities have recruited two hangmen ahead of planned executions that would end a 43-year old moratorium on death penalty, an official said on...

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lankan prison authorities are recruiting two hangmen after the president pledged to end a 43-year moratorium on capital punishment and execute condemned drug traffickers amid alarm over drug-related crime in this Indian Ocean island nation.

Interviews of the candidates will be conducted next month and two will be hired, prison department spokesman Thushara Upuldeniya said Wednesday.

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka's president pledged to end the country's 43-year moratorium on capital punishment and execute condemned drug traffickers amid alarm over drug-related crimes.

The statement on the government's website said President Maithripala Sirisena would order the executions soon but did not say how the prisoners would be executed. Sri Lanka last executed a prisoner in 1976. At the time, prisoners were hanged.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Federal prosecutors say four members of a drug trafficking gang have pleaded guilty to charges in U.S. District Court in Alabama.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said in a news release that the pleas came in Montgomery last week. Prosecutors say 18 members of the gang have pleaded guilty to drug-related crimes. One person faces trial.

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) — A Wyoming man who pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a drug-related crime spree was sentenced to 40 years in prison.

KTWO-AM reports Christopher Eads was sentenced Thursday in federal court in Casper after he pleaded guilty in December to six felonies, including drug and firearms charges, assaulting an officer and carjacking.

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) — A Wyoming woman who pleaded guilty to her role in a drug-related crime spree has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison.

KTWO-AM reports U.S. District Judge Scott Skavdahl sentenced Santana Keener on Thursday to 20 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute drugs, aiding and abetting a carjacking and a firearms charge.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — A convicted felon on the Texas 10 Most Wanted fugitives list has been arrested in Kentucky.

The Texas Department of Public Safety says 35-year-old Herman Henry Fox was captured Monday near an apartment complex in Murray, Kentucky.

CORUNNA, Mich. (AP) — A crowd of around 100 people filling a Shiawassee County courtroom rose to their feet to applaud a graduation class of one.

The graduate named Joe had been working toward this day for 15 months, but it's an addiction to heroin that began nearly 17 years ago that he's continued to work on overcoming every single day.

Following a guilty plea on multiple retail crime charges, the 33-year-old Owosso resident entered the Shiawassee County drug court.

SPRINFIELD, Vt. (AP) — Authorities have arrested 16 people in the Springfield, Vermont, area for drug-related crimes.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Three northwest Arkansas police chiefs say they're dropping out of the 4th Judicial District Drug Task Force.

The chiefs in Tontitown, Johnson and Elkins say they're leaving the task force after June 30 — joining Elm Springs, which left last year.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah lawmakers have advanced a bill that would create stiffer penalties for people caught dealing drugs near homeless shelters.

The bill brought by Democratic Rep. Joel Briscoe makes drug-related crimes committed within 100 feet of a government-funded shelter a felony. It would add homeless facilities to a list of other places where Utah law imposes higher punishments for drug distribution, including schools, parks, libraries and churches.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A St. Louis man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for his role in a drug-related crime that resulted in a fatal shooting.

A federal judge on Thursday sentenced 29-year-old Walter Wallace Jr. in a case that is part of a coordinated effort between St. Louis city and federal authorities toward a goal of reducing violent crime.

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Outgoing Gov. Peter Shumlin on Saturday issued 10 pardons to people convicted of various felonies and misdemeanors, including the son of former vice presidential nominee Geraldine Ferraro and the son of former U.S. Rep. Richard Mallary.

Half of the pardons involve people convicted of possessing, selling or growing marijuana, while the rest were people convicted of domestic assault, sexual assault, the sale of cocaine and criminal mischief.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri's outgoing Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon is pardoning 12 more people.

Nixon on Friday announced the pardons to those convicted of theft and drug-related crimes, such as selling cocaine.

They've since found jobs or retired. One now mentors troubled youth, and another is active in his church.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri's outgoing Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon is giving clemency to 15 people convicted of drug-related crimes or theft.

Nixon on Friday announced the pardons. Those granted clemency were convicted of crimes including selling marijuana, stealing and burglary. Many went on to work or attend school. Those granted clemency also include Vietnam veterans, a pastor and retirees.

RIO GRANDE CITY, Texas (AP) — A South Texas police detective has been arrested on drug trafficking charges after investigators say he tipped off dealers to law enforcement activity.

Court records show Ramon DeLaCruz Jr. remains in custody pending a federal detention hearing Thursday in McAllen. Rio Grande City police Chief Noe Castillo says DeLaCruz was fired Monday after about two years on the force.

GENEVA (AP) — A U.N. expert focusing on Iran has condemned the execution of 12 people there over the weekend on drug-related charges.

Special rapporteur Ahmed Shaheed on Monday said executions for drug-related offenses like those on Saturday violate international law, and Iranian officials have themselves say such executions haven't been effective in preventing drug-related crimes.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Transportation officials say extra law enforcement patrols across North Dakota in June resulted in 118 citations for drunk driving and drug-related crimes.

The state Department of Transportation says there were 69 arrests for DUI or refusal of a test, 24 citations for other alcohol-related violations, and 25 drug-related arrests. The stops resulted in three felony arrests.

A total of 564 citations were attributed to the added patrols,...