Jackson may face jail for drug trafficking
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-12-01 11:47

Michael Jackson is facing up to 20 years in prison for alleged drug trafficking.

Pop star Michael Jackson leaves the Santa Barbara County Courthouse after being found not guilty on all ten counts of child molestation in Santa Maria, California, June 13, 2005. [Reuters]

The troubled singer is said to have a 40 pills-a-day habit, and has been accused of illegally importing anti-depressants and painkillers from the US to his hideaway in Bahrain.

The superstar - who was cleared of sex abuse in June - also faces allegations the drugs were obtained with fake prescriptions.

Police are investigating claims by former aides of the star who say the 47-year-old is hooked on pills.

They say he takes around 40 tablets a day and was even seen falling flat on his face after injecting himself with a mystery substance.

The investigation centres around a huge stash of drugs found at the star's Neverland ranch when police were probing the child sex claims made against Jackson in 2003.

Traces of cocaine were also found on the singer's underwear during the swoop.

The probe is being run by district attorney Tom Sneddon - who is said to be angry he failed to convict Jackson on child sex charges in the summer.

A source close to the Jackson family is quoted in Britain's The Sun newspaper as saying: "Michael would fight this in court. But none of us know if he could cope with another investigation.

"Sneddon is obsessed with bringing him down. This is not justice, it's a witch hunt."