From correspondents in Tehran Province, Iran, 08:01 PM IST

Twenty convicted drug traffickers were hanged Saturday in a prison in Karaj, a suburb west of this Iranian capital, the Fars news agency reported.

Fars said that 700 kg of drugs were confiscated from these people, who were arrested between 2004 and 2008.

Murder, rape, armed robbery and drug trafficking of quantities in excess of five kilograms are among the crimes punishable by death in Iran.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)