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FBI grace the Shot Show 2010 (with arrest warrants)

Gungho Cowboy

The mainstream media (MSM) rarely gives much coverage of the Shot Shows, but this time they were there as the Shot Show 2010 was unfortunately highlighted by arrests of executives from the arms industry for violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act as they were stung by an FBI Operation in which FBI agents made a fictitious story acting as arms brokers for an African government seeking to purchase arms at US$15 million with an intention to pocket some money (at 20%) for the deal to push through.

Around 21 executives were arrested, including the Vice President of Sales from Smith & Wesson. A more in-depth story published at New York Times.

The case is the biggest prosecution of individuals for foreign corporate bribery ever pursued by the Justice Department. The 16 indictments in the case are also the early fruits of a new initiative for the Justice Department, Lanny A. Breuer, assistant attorney general for the criminal division, said in an interview on Wednesday.

“This is the first time we’ve used the technique of an undercover operation in a case involving foreign corporate bribery,” Mr. Breuer said. “The message is that we are going to bring all the innovations of our organized crime and drug war cases to the fight against white-collar criminals.”

All of the defendants work at, or run, small companies that supply the staples of military and law enforcement life everywhere — small arms, uniforms, bullets — and that jockey for deals at a level well below military industry giants like Lockheed or Boeing.

The arrests seemed orchestrated to deliver the Justice Department’s message directly to others in the business. All but one of the defendants were arrested on Tuesday in Las Vegas, where they were attending the Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show and Conference, known as the SHOT Show, which is billed as “the world’s premier exposition of combined firearms, ammunition, archery, cutlery, outdoor apparel, optics, camping and related products and services.”

Read the rest of the story here.

I guess the US government has put its message across to the industry loud and clear.

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