Dino Bouterse enters not guilty plea

Sep 01, 2013 News

… to return to court on September 9

Dino Bouterse, the son of sitting Surinamese President, Desi Bouterse, has been charged with drug trafficking in the United States of America.
Bouterse was arrested Thursday in Panama by local authorities and turned over to US agents.

Dino Bouterse

He has been indicted in Manhattan, New York, but pleaded not guilty to the charges when he appeared before Judge, James C. Francis
Derek Maltz, one of the agents involved in the arrest of the President’s son, told Associated Press that the suspect is considered a “significant drugs trafficker.”
The case will resume with hearings on September 9. Bouterse’s lawyer, Christopher Flood, refused any comment.
Bouterse is suspected of smuggling cocaine into the US with, Edmund Muntslag, another Surinamese citizen.
Trinidadian authorities arrested Muntslag.
The two men are alleged to have been smuggling cocaine into the US since 2011.
The indictment says Bouterse was involved in smuggling a suitcase filled with 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of cocaine aboard a commercial flight from Suriname to the Caribbean in late July.
It is obvious that Bouterse and Muntslag have been shadowed for some time and have most likely been lured into a trap.
Both men were arrested simultaneously. Panamanian authorities did not heed the fact that Bouterse was carrying a diplomatic passport. Immediately after his arrest he was flown to the US.
The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has since denied any involvement in the arrest of Bouterse. Dutch officials issued an official statement after rumours surfaced in Suriname accusing the Netherlands of involvement.
A spokesman confirmed the Dutch authorities are aware of the arrest, but they consider it a matter between Suriname and the US.
International media say the matter is not very welcome right now, especially since President Bouterse is host to the meeting of the Union of South American States (UNASUR) meeting this weekend.
The UNASUR meeting was delayed several hours, suggesting the arrest of Bouterse Jr. was the main reason.
The younger Bouterse was mentioned in the famous Wikileaks cables as having criminal ties to Guyana.
In 2006, former US Ambassador to Guyana, Roland Bullen, in a confidential cable to his superiors in Washington DC, US, said that he may have been involved in moving weapons to the village of Buxton on the East Coast of Demerara, at the time known to be a hotbed of criminal activities.
“Desi Bouterse’s son Dino organized a Surinamese soccer team’s trip to Buxton a few years ago. It is believed that the team bus carried weapons to Buxton,” the cable said.
That particular cable examined the relationship between convicted Guyanese drug kingpin Roger Khan and President Bouterse, and the fallout from the former’s arrest shortly before.

2 thoughts on “Dino Bouterse enters not guilty plea”

MrHFMetz . September 1, 2013 at 6:08 am

All of these criminals belong to this socalled “National Democratic Party”, which party got the majority at the latest elections. People never learn from their history it seems. Anyway they get what they voted for. Good luck. But what about Guyana, I may ask.
Kaieteur_Canada September 1, 2013 at 4:55 pm

This arrest is known as “the long arm of the law”.

Guyana’s local Bar-Rattle Snake should take note of two things:

1: When arrested you will be taken straight to the US where there will be no strings pulling and acting CJ to depend on to get you released.

2: Authorities did not heed the fact that Bouterse was carrying a diplomatic passport.

It is OK to tremble Mr Bar-Rattle Snake, you earned it all by yourself.