VILNIUS, May 23 (RAPSI) - Lithuanian and US law enforcement officers have detained a suspected Russian arms dealer, Dmitry Ustinov, at Vilnius Airport, the Delfi online resource reported on Thursday.

The US authorities suspect that Ustinov and his accomplices exported and planned to export military items prohibited from being taken out of the United States without a license and laundered the proceeds from these illegal transactions. A US court issued an arrest warrant for Ustinov on March 26.

Delfi writes that Ustinov, who is on the State of Delaware wanted list, had come to Vilnius to strike a deal for US Army night vision equipment. It is unclear if he was invited there by US special agents or by black market dealers in weapons and ammunition.

Russian national Dmitry Ustinov, 46, has been placed in Lukiskiai Jail in Vilnius, where he will stay for two months by a court decision.

The US Department of Justice asked the Lithuanian law enforcement agencies to detain Ustinov because a source warned that he could escape to Russia via Lithuania. If he is found guilty in court he could face at least 20 years in prison. The Lithuanian Prosecutor General's Office is waiting for an extradition request from their US colleagues, which a Vilnius court will consider.