Australian journalist faces drug charges in Singapore

An Australian journalist was arrested in Singapore on drug-related charges, the Australian government said on Friday, and faces up to 20 years in jail and 15 strokes of the cane if convicted.

Peter Lloyd, a senior journalist with the Australian Broadcasting Cooperation, was detained on Wednesday after Singapore's drug police had received a tipoff.

Singapore's Central Narcotics Bureau said in a statement that Lloyd had allegedly supplied a Singaporean man with drugs and was caught with 0.8 grams (0.028 ounces) of methamphetamine, one smoking pipe and six syringes.