Arms trade thrives after ‘Merchant of Death’
Experts say Viktor Bout’s conviction has done little to curb global flow of illicit weapons.
Published On 5 Apr 2012
Viktor Bout, one of the world’s most notorious arms dealers, is set to be sentenced in New York on Thursday.
Accused of running a lucrative arms-dealing business across three different continents, the Russian once dubbed the “Merchant of Death” was convicted last year on charges of attempting to sell heavy weaponry to Colombia’s FARC rebels.
But, as Barnaby Phillips investigates, many believe there are “hundreds of Viktor Bouts still out there”, operating in both illict and legal arms markets.
Source: Al Jazeera