Accused opium smuggler to stand trial

  A man accused of smuggling nearly 12 kilos of opium into the UK has appeared in court. Alireza Seifazadsani, 46, allegedly imported 11.7kgs of the plant-based narcotic into the country on 27 February this year, it is claimed. He appeared at Croydon Crown Court wearing a baggy white t-shirt and spoke only to confirm his details and enter a not guilty plea. Opium, the dried latex obtained from opium poppies, is a highly-addictive substance used to produce heroin. Seifazadsani,…