Reports: Russia hopes to trade Brittney Griner for infamous arms trafficker / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: AP-Scanpix Credit AP-Scanpix

Russia is looking to exchange Brittney Griner in a prisoner swap for notorious convicted arms trafficker Viktor Bout, several state-owned Russian news outlets reported.

Popularly known as "the Merchant of Death", Bout was arrested in Thailand in 2008 and extradited to the US, where he was convicted of intending to smuggle weapons to rebels in Colombia to be used against US citizens.

He was sentenced to 25 years in prison in New York (April 2012).

Yesterday it was reported that the American basketball star Brittney Griner's pre-trial detention in Russia has been extended for one month.

The 31-year-old Griner has been in custody since February after Moscow airport officials allegedly found cannabis oil in her luggage.

Her detention came as US and Women's National Basketball Association officials urged Americans to leave Russia amid rising tensions over Ukraine, which Russia invaded on 24 February.

US executives said she was wrongfully imprisoned and should be released.

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