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Lithuania to extradite to USA Russian suspected of arms trafficking

The Russian citizen has been arrested in May on arrival at Vilnius airport and placed in jail upon court decision

VILNIUS, July 22. /ITAR-TASS reporter Vladimir Ivanov/. The Vilnius District Court granted today the petition of the General Prosecutor's Office of Lithuania and took the decision to extradite to the United States 47-year-old citizen of Russia Dmitry Ustinov suspected of arms trafficking.

"The court hasn’t found any grounds for extradition refusal. There is no actual evidence that the prosecution of the Russian is of political nature, as he claims" the judge Vladislavas Lencikas said. This court decision may be appealed within seven days.

The Russian citizen has been arrested in May on arrival at Vilnius airport and placed in jail upon court decision. The U.S. Justice Department has requested legal assistance from the Lithuanian side in his prosecution. On March 26, the U.S. Court issued a warrant for the arrest of Ustinov.

The man is suspected of illegal arms trafficking. The objects of transactions were night vision tools, thermal imaging and other dual-use equipment that is in demand among various militants and criminal gangs. It is claimed that the amount of transactions could exceed $180,000.

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