Bouterse’s son extradited to U.S, faces drug trafficking and weapons charges

Bouterse’s son extradited to U.S, faces drug trafficking and weapons charges

The 40-year-old son of Suriname’s President Desi Bouterse was extradited to the United States hours after being arrested in Panama and handed over to U.S agents.

The Manhattan District Attorney’s office on Friday announced the arrest of alleged international narcotics trafficker Dino Bouterse. In a statement the District Attorney’s office said “Panamanian authorities arrested DINO BOUTERSE in the Republic of Panama and turned him over to U.S. authorities to face charges that he conspired to import cocaine into the United States.”

The younger Bouterse is accused of not just drug trafficking, but he is also accused of being in possession of a rocket launcher during his alleged efforts to send cocaine to the United States. He had reportedly just arrived in Panama on official Suriname Government business when he was arrested and handed over to the U.S Authorities.

According to Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, “As alleged, Dino Bouterse conspired to send cocaine to the United States in a suitcase, and brandished a destructive weapon during the act. With his arrest, this Office continues to make sure that those who attempt to transport drugs into our country are apprehended and brought to justice, no matter where they live.”

The statement from the Manhattan District Attorney’s office also quoted Drug Enforcement Agency Special-Agent-in-Charge Derek Maltz as saying that “Bouterse is a significant drug trafficker who allegedly possessed dangerous weapons. Bouterse has a history of drug and weapons trafficking, having been convicted of similar charges in his home country of Suriname in 2005. Thanks to our vast network of law enforcement and informants around the world, DEA and our partners disrupted this drug trafficking conspiracy and he and Muntslag will now face justice here in the United States.”

Another Surinamese Edmund Muntslag is also named in the indictment with Bouterse. He was arrested in Trinidad and Tobago and extradited to the U.S from that Caribbean state.

The District Attorney’s office said the indictment charges Bouterse of Paramaribo, Suriname, in two counts. Count One charges Bouterse with conspiring to import cocaine into the United States. Count Two charges Bouterse with carrying a firearm or destructive device during and in relation to a drug-trafficking crime. Counts One and Two each carry a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Reports out of Suriname indicted that security had been beefed up around the Embassy of the United States following the arrest and extradition of the President’s son.

The Surinamese President himself has in the past been accused of drug trafficking and gun running. In fact, before he was elected President, the 62-year-old Desi Bouterse, was convicted in absentia in the Netherlands in 1999 of trafficking 474 kilograms of cocaine.

He is still considered a wanted man in some parts of Europe.

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