I haven’t checked with my agent lately, but I’m pretty sure an illegal arms shipment wouldn’t be insurable.
Who’s eating the loss on this one?
Thank you Sam. I didn’t know he was currently being held in Bangkok. Interesting.
AS for the flight distance, Bout’s planes are notorious for having poor to minimal maintenance, so the fact that one may not be getting the alleged MPG (so to speak) shouldn’t come as a surprise at all. It may also have been a mechanical failure that they were originally trying to hide, which has gotten lost in the bigger story. This would also match Bout’s MO.
The weapons are now believed to have been destined for Iran. See here.
But there’s some doubt about that, and interestingly the authorities are dropping all charges against the five crew and releasing them. (Still holding onto Viktor Bout, though.) See here.
Gee, good thing they got caught with just 35 tons of heavy weapons, had they been found carrying a 100gr bag of marijuana they’d be in death row by now. :smack:
They’re all being released. It’s in the news this week. By request of their home countries, Belarus and Kazakhstan, so they can be prosecuted there. Uh-huh, right. I feel a rather large cash payment may have accompanied these requests.
I’ve heard all five crew may be ex-KGB. But all sorts of rumors are swirling around them. It’s even doubtful now Iran was to be the recipient of the arms. But whether they were ex-KGB or not, Lordy! If you look at their photos, these are guys you do not want to meet in a dark alley. I think their photos appear under the dictionary entry for “thug.”
Still holding Viktor Bout, though.