Local News in Brief : Afghan Guilty in Drug Case

An Afghan millionaire who divided his time between lavish homes in Malibu and Amsterdam was convicted Friday of conspiring to smuggle hashish and heroin into the United States in order to finance anti-Soviet rebels in his homeland.

Abdul Wali, 50, was described by prosecutors as a “critical” force in a plot to import the drugs into the country. During his trial before a federal court jury in Trenton, N.J., Wali’s lawyers charged that he was framed by prosecutors. They presented testimony to show that he had been imprisoned by the Soviets, that his wife and sister had been murdered and that his son had been kidnaped.

Prosecutors said they believe that Wali used the profits of his drug deals to finance rebels in Afghanistan. U.S. District Judge Clarkson Fisher revoked Wali’s bail after his conviction. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison when he is sentenced Jan. 6.