Viktor Bout: "The Merchant of Death"

Summary

The script tells the story of Victor Bout, labeled 'The Merchant of Death,' who became infamous for arming conflicts worldwide. As a former Russian military officer, Bout evaded capture for years until a daring DEA undercover operation enticed him with a fake arms deal. Despite initial setbacks, the operation succeeded in Thailand, leading to his arrest. Bout's subsequent legal battle between the US and Russia ended with his extradition to the US, where he faced charges of conspiracy to kill Americans.

Takeaways

• 🔍 Victor Bout, known as 'The Merchant of Death', was one of the most notorious arms dealers globally, supplying weapons to fuel civil wars and arming terrorists.
• 🇷🇺 A former Russian military officer, Bout was protected by powerful friends and was considered 'untouchable' by law enforcement for a long time.
• 🔫 Bout's operations escalated conflicts in West Africa by providing AK-47s and other advanced weaponry, turning young warriors into efficient killing machines.
• 🌍 The US government indicted Bout on four terror-related charges, including conspiracy to kill Americans, viewing him as a significant threat due to his ability to arm terrorist groups.
• ✈️ Bout owned a fleet of over 60 cargo airplanes, which he used to transport weapons and military equipment to remote locations worldwide.
• 🎥 His story inspired the movie 'Lord of War', starring Nicolas Cage, further cementing his infamy as an equal opportunity arms dealer.
• 💼 US Treasury documents revealed Bout's empire was sophisticated and complex, hidden behind a network of front companies.
• 🔎 The DEA devised a bold undercover operation to capture Bout, involving a fake arms deal with a Colombian rebel group known as the FARC.
• 🇹🇭 The operation culminated in Thailand, where Bout was lured under the guise of a significant arms deal, leading to his arrest by Thai authorities and the DEA.
• 🏛️ Despite being in custody, Bout became the center of a legal battle between the US and Russia, with Russia attempting to delay his extradition to the US for over two and a half years.

Q & A

Who is Victor Bout and why was he wanted by the US government?

Victor Bout, known as 'The Merchant of Death,' was an infamous arms dealer who became notorious for fueling civil wars around the world by supplying weapons to various conflict zones. The US government considered him a threat due to his ability to arm terrorists targeting the United States.

What was Victor Bout's background and how did he become involved in arms dealing?

Victor Bout was a former Russian military officer who reportedly served in the Soviet Air Force and intelligence service. He first emerged in the late 1980s in West Africa, where he transformed conflicts by supplying large quantities of weapons, elevating the scale of violence.

How did the US government and DEA attempt to capture Victor Bout?

The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) devised a bold undercover operation to capture Bout. They hired an undercover agent to pose as a business associate and lure Bout with a fake arms deal involving a large purchase of weapons by a Colombian rebel group.

What was the significance of the cargo airplanes in Bout's arms dealing operations?

Bout owned a fleet of cargo airplanes, which were crucial to his operations as they allowed him to transport weapons and military equipment to any remote location globally with pinpoint accuracy, making him a one-stop shop for illicit arms.

How did the DEA's operation unfold to capture Victor Bout?

The DEA's operation involved a series of meetings with Bout's associate, Andrew Smolan, and DEA undercover operatives posing as Colombian rebels. They created a scenario where Bout would be enticed to meet them in person to finalize a large arms deal, which eventually led to his capture in Bangkok.

Why was Victor Bout considered 'untouchable' by law enforcement?

Bout was considered 'untouchable' due to his powerful connections, the complexity of his operations hidden behind front companies, and his ability to evade capture by remaining in countries like Russia, which protected him.

What was the role of Andrew Smolan in the DEA's operation to capture Victor Bout?

Andrew Smolan was a trusted associate of Victor Bout. The DEA used an undercover agent to contact Smolan, presenting a fake arms deal that would eventually lead to Bout's capture by luring him out of Russia to meet with the supposed buyers.

How did the DEA ensure that Andrew Smolan would trust the fake arms deal?

The DEA created a convincing scenario where their undercover operatives posed as officials from the Colombian rebel group FARC, expressing a desire to purchase millions of dollars worth of weapons. This, along with the use of Smolan's trust in the DEA's undercover agent, ensured his cooperation.

What challenges did the DEA face during the operation to capture Victor Bout?

The DEA faced numerous challenges, including creating a believable arms deal, ensuring the trust of Bout's associate, and coordinating an international operation across multiple countries. Additionally, they had to deal with bureaucratic hurdles such as visa issues and the risk of Bout not leaving Russia.

How did Victor Bout's capture impact the US and Russia, and what were the legal consequences?

Bout's capture led to a legal tug of war between the US and Russia, with Russia seeking his release. Bout pleaded not guilty to charges including conspiracy to kill Americans. His case highlighted the complexities of international law enforcement and the challenges of extraditing criminals from one country to another.

Outlines

00:00

🔫 The Hunt for Victor Bout: The Merchant of Death

The first paragraph introduces Victor Bout, an infamous arms dealer known as 'The Merchant of Death,' who fueled civil wars globally and was a significant threat to the US due to his ability to arm terrorists. Bout, a former Russian military officer, operated with impunity due to his powerful connections. The US government, particularly the DEA, sought to capture him through a daring undercover operation. The narrative details Bout's rise in West Africa in the late 1980s, his transformation of conflicts with advanced weaponry, and his indictment by the US on terror-related charges. It also discusses his unique selling point of a private air force for weapon transportation and his influence as depicted in the movie 'Lord of War.'

05:01

🕵️‍♂️ Undercover Operation: Luring Bout into the Open

The second paragraph delves into the DEA's strategy to lure Victor Bout out of Moscow with a fake arms deal. The DEA hired an undercover agent to contact Bout through Andrew Smolan, one of his associates. The plan was to present an irresistible arms deal, which would prompt Bout to leave Moscow. The DEA created a scenario involving a meeting on the island of Kuro, where Smolan would meet with DEA operatives posing as Colombian Rebel officials interested in purchasing weapons. The narrative highlights the tension and meticulous planning involved in setting up the meeting and the successful baiting of Bout, who agreed to the deal and revealed his identity, providing crucial evidence for the DEA's case.

10:02

📚 The Capture and Aftermath: Bout's Legal Battle

The third paragraph describes the final stages of the operation leading to Victor Bout's capture in Bangkok. The DEA insisted on a face-to-face meeting to finalize the arms deal, which Bout agreed to, leading to his arrival in Bangkok. The Thai police, in collaboration with the DEA, apprehended Bout at a hotel. The narrative recounts the moment of his arrest and the subsequent legal battle between the US and Russia for Bout's extradition. Despite Bout's claims of being a simple tourist, he was eventually extradited to the US, where he pleaded not guilty to charges including conspiracy to kill Americans. The paragraph concludes with the DEA's satisfaction in capturing Bout, who was seen as a significant threat to global security.

Keywords

💡Victor Bout

Victor Bout, referred to as 'The Merchant of Death' in the script, is a former Russian military officer and the central figure of the video. He is depicted as the world's most notorious arms dealer, known for fueling civil wars globally and arming various groups, from terrorists to drug cartels. His ability to evade capture for years, due to his powerful connections and the complexity of his operations, makes him a significant threat as described by US officials in the video.

💡Arms Dealer

An arms dealer is an individual or entity involved in the illegal trade of weapons and military equipment. In the context of the video, Victor Bout is portrayed as the quintessential arms dealer, amassing wealth and power by supplying weapons to conflict zones, dictators, and terrorist organizations. His operations are highlighted as a key factor in escalating violence and destabilizing regions.

💡DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration)

The DEA is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice, primarily tasked with combating drug trafficking and distribution within the United States. In the video, the DEA plays a critical role in devising and executing an undercover operation to capture Victor Bout, showcasing their involvement in counter-terrorism efforts beyond drug-related crimes.

💡Undercover Operation

An undercover operation refers to a covert investigative method where law enforcement agents pose as criminals or associates to infiltrate criminal networks. The video details how the DEA used an undercover operation to lure Victor Bout out of Russia by feigning a massive arms deal, which ultimately led to his capture.

💡Terror Related Charges

Terror-related charges are legal accusations brought against individuals involved in acts of terrorism or providing support to terrorist activities. Victor Bout is indicted on four such charges in the video, including conspiracy to kill Americans, highlighting the severity of his alleged crimes and the global threat he posed.

💡Soviet Air Force and Intelligence Service

The Soviet Air Force and Intelligence Service were branches of the military and intelligence community of the former Soviet Union. Victor Bout's alleged service in these organizations is mentioned in the video as a background that may have contributed to his expertise in arms trafficking and ability to operate with relative impunity for an extended period.

💡Illicit Arms Dealing

Illicit arms dealing involves the illegal trade of weapons, often across borders and to regions where such trade is banned or restricted. The video discusses how Victor Bout became a legend in this shadowy world, using his private fleet of cargo planes to transport weapons to various conflict zones, exacerbating violence and instability.

💡FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia)

FARC, or the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, is a guerrilla group involved in the ongoing conflict in Colombia. In the video, DEA agents pose as FARC officials to negotiate with Victor Bout, illustrating the extent to which Bout was willing to deal with groups considered terrorists by many nations.

💡Extradition

Extradition is the process by which one country or jurisdiction surrenders a person accused or convicted of crime to another country or jurisdiction that has requested their transfer. The video describes the legal tug of war between the US and Russia over Victor Bout's extradition, reflecting the geopolitical interests and complexities involved in such cases.

💡Conspiring to Kill Americans

Conspiring to kill Americans refers to the charge against Victor Bout for allegedly plotting to kill US citizens. The video emphasizes this charge by detailing how Bout agreed to sell weapons to individuals posing as terrorists, intending to use these weapons against American interests, thus posing a direct threat to national security.

Highlights

Victor Bout, known as 'The Merchant of Death', is considered one of the world's most notorious arms dealers.

Bout's activities escalated civil wars globally, particularly in West Africa, by supplying large quantities of weapons.

He was sought by the US government due to his ability to arm terrorists targeting the United States.

Bout, a former Russian military officer, had powerful friends and was long considered untouchable by law enforcement.

The DEA devised a bold undercover operation to capture Bout after three years of pursuit.

Bout was involved in weaponizing civil wars in Africa, turning young warriors into efficient killing machines.

He was indicted by the US on four terror-related charges, including conspiracy to kill Americans.

Bout's operations were facilitated by a fleet of cargo airplanes, capable of delivering weapons globally.

He became a legend in the world of illicit arms dealing, with a sophisticated network hidden behind front companies.

The US government unwittingly contracted with Bout's companies for supplies in Iraq.

Bout's operations were so extensive that he was considered untouchable by the US government.

The DEA's plan to capture Bout involved creating a scenario to lure him out of Moscow with a fake arms deal.

An undercover agent contacted Bout's associate, Andrew Smolan, posing as a businessman with a large arms deal.

The DEA operatives posed as Colombian Rebel officials to negotiate a deal with Bout.

Bout agreed to supply millions of dollars worth of weapons, including surface-to-air missiles and AK-47s.

The operation to capture Bout spanned three continents and involved multiple meetings to establish trust.

Bout was finally lured to Bangkok, where Thai police and DEA agents arrested him after a two-hour meeting.

Bout's arrest led to a legal battle between the US and Russia, with Russia seeking his release.

After over two years, Bout was extradited to the US, where he pled not guilty to charges including conspiracy to kill Americans.

The successful operation to capture Bout was a significant achievement for the DEA and international law enforcement.

Transcripts

tonight CBS News correspondent Arman

Kayan on assignment for 60

Minutes rarely does the US government

want anyone more than it wanted this man

his name is Victor Boot and he's known

as The Merchant of death US government

officials say boot became the world's

most notorious arms dealer by fueling

Civil Wars around the world courted by

drug lords and dictators the US saw him

as a threat because of his ability to

arm terrorists targeting the United

States a former Russian military officer

boot has been protected by powerful

friends and long considered Untouchable

by law enforcement but 3 years ago the

DEA devised a bold undercover operation

to capture

him the story will continue in a

moment Victor boot uh in in my eyes um

is one of the most dangerous men on the

face of the Earth on the face of the

Earth without a doubt Mike Brawn the

former Chief of operations for the US

Drug Enforcement Administration told us

boot first exploded on the scene in war

torn West Africa in the late

1980s elevating bloody conflicts from

machetes and single shot rifles to

AK-47s not by the thousands but by the

tens of thousands so he weaponizes Civil

War in Africa he transformed these young

adolescent Warriors into uh Insidious

mindless maniacally driven killing

machines that operated with assembly

line efficiencies now 43 boot from the

Soviet Republic of Tajikistan is a

mystery man who reportedly served in the

Soviet Air Force and intelligence

service the US has indicted him on four

Terror related charges including

conspiracy to kill Americans what makes

him a threat to the United States he is

a shadow facilitator he arming not only

designated terrorist groups uh Insurgent

groups but he's also arming very

powerful drug trafficking cartels uh

around the globe taking advantage of

Russian military contacts at the highest

levels in the collapse of the Soviet

Union federal prosecutors alleged boot

essentially became a One-Stop shop

offering an unlimited supply of

stockpiled Cold War weapons to bad guys

around the world including Charles

Taylor of Liberia who is now on trial

for war crimes according to the US

indictment boot had a unique selling

point when it came to weapons

trafficking a fleet of cargo airplanes

capable of transporting weapons and

military equipment anytime anywhere more

than 60 planes in all his own private

Air Force those Russian aircraft uh were

built like flying dump trucks he could

move this stuff and drop it with

pinpoint accuracy to any Desert to any

jungle to any other remote place in the

world right into the hands of what I

refer to as the popery of global

scum by the late 1990s boot was a legend

in the shadowy world of illicit arms

dealing so elusive that the only two

pictures that surface of him back then

were taken without boot's knowledge by a

Belgian photographer later boot became

the inspiration behind the nickelus cage

character in the movie Lord of War I was

an equal opportunity Merchant of death I

supplied every Army but the Salvation

Army US Treasury documents reveal a boot

Empire So Sophisticated so complex

hidden behind a thick curtain of front

companies that even the US government

unwittingly contracted with two of his

companies to deliver supplies to US

troops in Iraq Juan Zara Deputy National

Security adviser in the second Bush

White House and a CBS News consultant

told us hiring boot was a mistake this

was one of the Grave complications for

the United States Victor boot's

tentacles reached so far and so deep

that he had uh access to uh planes that

could provide services for the US

government zaran admitted the us could

do business with boot but it couldn't

catch him I had always thought of Victor

boot as

Untouchable uh and I also frankly didn't

think uh that anyone could get to him a

challenge zarat from the White House

threw out at a meeting with Mike Brawn

and his EA team the DEA had just pulled

off a string of extraordinarily

successful captures of high value

terrorism targets around the world like

Afghan drug lords de agents live for the

hunt Mike noin had even gotten a sniff

on this guy let me tell you something

Armen when when I'm I'm sitting there

next to Juan and my guys are sitting

across the table from him the very best

that our government's got to offer and

he tosses this out on the table and I

look him in the eyes and they're looking

back at me like we'll do this this we

can do this but it was about a 5% chance

in the back of my mind and so um you

know I wished them well uh and I went

back to the White House Mike Braun's

thinking 95% okay 5 95 make 100 he was

he was going down he was in our

crosshairs the DEA supervisor put in

charge of the hunt for Victor Bo was

Lewis milone we felt that we could

create a scenario that would uh that

would pull him in the plan was to pull

boot out of Moscow with a huge arms deal

he couldn't refuse to do that the DEA

hired an undercover agent to contact a

trusted associate of boots named Andrew

smolan the DEA operative said he had a

big business deal for boot I'm thinking

in terms of fishing here it's almost

like you've thrown the line in the water

there's a little bit of bait this is a

business proposition and you're waiting

to see if anything comes back with a

nibble we're really waiting to see what

yeah exactly what what sman says and um

you know what he says about Boot and as

it comes back spoke to Boris anything

possible with farming equipment that's

correct Boris was code for boot farming

equipment for weapons that exchange led

to the island of Kuro few hundred miles

off the coast of Colombia it was here

that boot's bunny Andrew smolan would

first meet the two DEA undercover

operatives posing as officials in the

Colombian Rebel terrorist group group

known as the farc the two fake Rebels

Eduardo and El kandante would say they

want to buy millions of dollars worth of

weapons to fight the Colombian Army and

the US military Pilots protecting them

simoan has to believe that Eduardo and

El kandante are real right if sman

doesn't believe it we're done and um

then we go home the meeting is about to

take

place what's your temperature like your

heart rate goes is up a little bit and

your adrenaline's going a little bit you

have butterflies emotions that only

escalated when at this hotel in kurau

the fake Rebels tell smoon boot's buddy

they want to spend $12 million on

everything from sniper rifles to surfac

to a missiles he bites off on it in fact

he eats the whole thing whole so it was

it was very successful so successful

Simoleon immediately flew to Moscow to

present the deal to Boris the man the

DEA believes is boot two weeks later in

another meeting this time in Copenhagen

sman told the DEA operatives that his

Russian business partner really like the

deal and then he revealed who that man

in Moscow really is you know who this

man is that we're getting the weapons

from this is boot b t he's wanted by the

world they call him The Merchant of

death b o u t yeah he spelled it out for

him we were marveled that sman would do

that but it was just great evidence the

DEA was in the game

but boot was still safe and secure in

Russia and reluctant to leave the DEA

Undercovers insisted they couldn't go to

Moscow but had to meet boot to seal the

deal and boot's going to know that

that's how these deals are going to work

commandante is not going to release

these millions of dollars for these

weapons to anybody until he at least

shakes hands talks looks boot in the eye

and then we can move on that's how we

countered and and boot went for it next

stop Romania just 3 days later the play

was to entice boot to Bucharest claiming

that's where the money was stashed to

pay for the weapons boot said he'd come

but then he had trouble getting a Visa

the case stalled after 10 days of

waiting for boot the top DEA agent made

a gutsy call to walk away so you've been

chasing this guy hard for two months

you're almost got him and you got to

make the decision to step away from the

table if we were real we wouldn't stay

there forever we're going to now step

away and say look we need to take care

of some other things but it's time for

us to leave over the next two weeks

milone came up with a new plan to reel

boot in the phony Rebels told boot they

would be in Bangkok soon asked if he

could get there boot agreed the morning

boot arrived in Bangkok the DEA and Thai

police had gathered downtown waiting for

word from cops at the airport that The

Merchant of death had landed they call

us in the room and they tell us that

he's

here what was the the moment like there

it was just unbelievable because we knew

at that point you know you're kind of

like holding on as you climb up the

mountain at different points in the

investigation this was one where at that

point I believed and the other

investigators believed not only are we

in the game he shows up at this meeting

we've got him he's going to be

arrested boot drove to this hotel and

met the two fake arms buyers in a

conference room on the 27th floor here

the the dea's undercover team told boot

they want his weapons to kill Americans

the commandante and Eduardo make it very

clear he said we're fighting against the

United States boot responds and says

look they're after me too he said but we

are together in this they are my enemy

also Eduardo and commandante talk about

how they want sniper sights for the

rifles that they have so that they could

quote start blowing the heads off

American Pilots boot's response

immediately is yes then the DEA said

bootn down on these Pages what he

intended to deliver for $12 million

including between 7 and 800 surface to

air missiles 5000 AK-47s anti-personnel

mines fragmentation grenades um

armor-piercing Rockets moneya laundering

services and all within the context of

speaking about a shared ideology of

Communism and fighting against the

Americans after 2 hours one of the DEA

Undercovers made a call a signal it was

time to move in within minutes the Thai

police and DEA agents burst into the

room we see boot across the far end of

like a boardroom type table standing up

with his hands inside his briefcase and

they give him the command to put his

hands up and he hesitates and they

immediately focused in with their

weapons and gave them the command again

are you thinking we've come all this way

to see Victor boot shot by a Thai

policeman the thought did cross my mind

that something really bad is happen to

him right here but then he complied it

turned out there was no weapon in the

briefcase the disarming of Victor boot

was now officially complete the ties

cuff him he's taken into custody sman is

taken into custody does boot say

anything the game is over or something

like that the game is over right but

then a new game began boot became the

center of a legal tug of war between the

US and Russia which wanted him released

back to Moscow boot said he only went to

Thailand as a simple tourist not an arms

dealer butin the Russians managed to

delay his extradition to America for

more than 2 and 1/2 years but last

Tuesday after a sting that played out on

three continents the DEA finally got

their man they flew him to New York

where he pled not guilty to charges

including conspiracy to kill Americans

when boot wrote Under tight security in

a convoy to jail in Manhattan riding

right along with him was luk milon this

is the Lord of

War The Merchant of death right and

you've got him in your hands right he's

in custody it's a great feeling it's an

absolutely great

feeling