Alleged Russian arms dealer Bout arrives in U.S.
07:30 17/11/2010 NEW YORK, November 17 (RIA Novosti) - A plane with alleged Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, extradited from Thailand, landed in the United States on Wednesday, a U.S. law enforcement source said on the condition of anonymity.
The source said Bout may be brought to court in the next few hours.
The plane with Bout landed at the Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, some 60 km north of New York, AP reported.
U.S. lawyers told RIA Novosti that Bout is likely to be taken to downtown Manhattan's Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC). The red brick building at 150 Park Row once housed Wall Street swindler Bernard Madoff, Times Square car bomber Faisal Shahzad and Gambino crime family scion John "Junior" Gotti.
Bout, a former Russian army officer, was arrested in Thailand in March 2008 during a sting operation led by U.S. agents.
His extradition to the United States was ordered by the Thai appeals court on August 20, but was not carried out because the United States brought a second set of charges against him in February.
These charges were dropped in early October, bringing the so-called Merchant of Death one step closer to extradition. His remand period was due to expire on Friday.
Bout was put on a charter flight shortly after the Thai government issued final approval for his extradition.
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