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Last Updated: Feb 19, 2009 - 9:48:38 AM |
Viktor Bout, the world's greatest arms
dealer, was caught in Thailand, due to help from Romanian authorities.
Bout's life and activity attracted film producers and he turned into a
hero for the "Lord of War", with Nicholas Cage playing the leading part.
The Romanian customs police had a decisive contribution to the this
event. Viktor Bout was being searched by the Interpol because of
breaking UN embargos on gun trade in several states. He was arrested
last Thursday in Bangkok. According to the US prosecution, both Bout
and Andrew Smulian, an accomplice of the Russian criminal, who has
recently activated on Romanian territory too, were charged last
Thursday by the New York Justice. But authorities in Thailand haven't
decided yet whether to sue him in the country or extradite him to the
US or Russia.
The US authorities demanded the Romanian customs police to help them
identity and retain Viktor Bout, according to the IGPE. Together with
colleagues from the Drug Enforcement Administration, who came to
Bucharest on this very purpose, the Romanian customs policemen settled
several action plans to catch Bout, as there was information that he
was taking interest in meeting with some "gun beneficiaries".
In November 2007-February 2008 Bout and Smulian agreed to sell guns of
million dollars to "two confidential sources" working with the Drug
Enforcement Administration, who pretended to be representatives of the
FARC. During some meetings held in Romania, which were recorded,
Smulian told the two DEA collaborators that Bout could give them at
once 100 SAM missiles, helicopters and more equipment, just as he could
arrange for the guns to reach the Colombian territory. (...)
The Russian was to be arrested in Romania in February 4-11, but he
canceled his trip. Together with his accomplices, Bout is accused of
intending to sell 100 missiles to the Revolutionary Forces in Colombia
for $ 5 million. Bout is also charged with supplying guns to Liberian
leader Charles Tayler, to the rebels in Congo, the Talibans and the
Al-Qaeda members in Afghanistan.
The US wants Bout extradited, but Thailand wants to sue him for
terrorism. Lawyer Viktor Burobin claims this arrest is "unacceptable"
and he is asking that his client be given to Russia, for there is no
charge against him there. (...)
Source:Ocnus.net 2009
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