Merchant of Death to remain in Thailand

On 23 December 2008 a Thai court decided to delay the extradition hearing for Viktor Bout, a legendary weapons dealer known around the world as the Merchant of Death. The Russian is wanted in America on allegations of arms smuggling, but when two of the key witnesses in the case failed to show up at the latest court date, the judge ruled to delay the hearing until March 6.

The case to extradite the Russian arms dealer began in March 2008 when he was apprehended during a US-led sting in Bangkok. At the time, American DEA agents were posing as members of the Colombian rebel group FARC to buy a large amount of weapons, ammunition and other gear.

Bout’s lawyers made the request to delay the hearing because two high-ranking Thai naval officers could not make it to the court due to illness. In his first public comments in court, Bout contended he was being set up by the Americans. “I never met anyone from FARC. I’ve never talked to anyone from FARC,” Bout told the court. “I didn’t do anything wrong in Thailand.”


Bout has committed no crimes in Thailand, and the Russian government has been quite vocal about bringing him home to Moscow. The US, however, wants Bout first to try him on charges of conspiring to kill Americans among many other things. He would probably get life in prison if found guilt in an American court.