The New York Sun picks up an article from the UK Telegraph about the trial in Paris of a Saudi prince who is alleged to have smuggled $92 million in cocaine into France on his private 727 jet.

A Saudi prince went on trial in his absence in Paris yesterday, accused of being involved in a plot to use his private jet to smuggle $92 million of cocaine into Europe.

Prince Nayef al—Chaalan faces charges relating to his alleged participation in, or organization of, an operation to fly nearly 2 tons of the drug....

The Prince denies everything:

He denies any connection with the smuggling operation and says he is the victim of an American—inspired conspiracy.

In a recent interview he described the case against him as absurd and claimed that Colombian drug barons had reached a deal with the American authorities to drop charges against them in return for implicating "other smugglers real or imaginary."

It is hard to imagine more sensational charges than this, involving drugs, money, anbd royalty. Yet the world's press has largely ignored the trial. Why?

Ed Lasky  7 27 06