Five drug traffickers executed in Iran April 17, 2001 Web posted at: 10:50 AM EDT (1450 GMT) TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- Five drug traffickers have been executed in eastern Iran, and five others killed in armed clashes with police in the south, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported Tuesday. The executions took place Monday in Birjand, near Iran's eastern border with Afghanistan, after the execution verdicts were upheld by the Supreme Court, the agency said. Executions are usually …showed first 75 words of 280 total…

…showed last 75 words of 280 total…upheld by the Supreme Court, the agency said. Executions are usually performed by hanging in Iran. IRNA said two of the drug traffickers, Nader Barahuei and Samad Kargiji, were sentenced to death for smuggling four tons of opium from Pakistan and Afghanistan, peddling drugs and smuggling weapons. A third man, Ali Akbar Rezaei, was sentenced to death for carrying 103 kilograms (227 pounds) of heroin and 27 kilograms (60 pounds) of opium. Two others, Shahriyar Pourqarib and Iraj Ahmadi