http://kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=3689264

ATF busts Tucson man for buying weapons and smuggling them into Mexico
Aug 6, 2005, 8:44 AM
Who's to blame for increased violence along the U.S./Mexico border? If you ask Mexican President Vicente Fox, the finger is pointed at the U.S.

For a steady flow of high-powered weapons.. Smuggled south of the border.

That theory hits close to home today. A man on social security trying to make ends meet... Is busted by federal authorities and charged with selling guns to Mexico.

The feds believe he was selling the weapons to organized crime in Mexico.

In a three period....Paul Stine allegedly bought over 200 weapons....139 of them were AK-47's.

This is a lower receiver and this is what Paul Stine allegedly was buying and smuggling into Mexico.

This becomes this an ak-47 a powerful assault weapon.

A-T-F Agent Tom Mangan " these are weapons of war, they're exteremly powerful exteremly lethal they can penetrate body armor."

According to the 24 count indictment...paul stine..made false statement and fictitious written statements to buy the weapons.

The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms says he was smuggling the weapons and the receivers to Mexico.

"W e allege these guns were being used and going to the hands of criminal organizations in mexico obviously for no good reason."

The lower receivers Stein is accused of buying and selling reportedly were being converted into machine guns increasing the firepower five fold.

A-T-F considers this a significant investigation. He says Mexican authorities as well as the U-S are gravely concerned about the amount of firearms going into Mexico.

"We're obviously trying to combat that issue. This iron of river of guns that flows from Az. to Mexico we're trying to stop the flow of that."

Mangan says drugs and guns go hand in hand because drug organizations need the fire power to protect their loads.

"They need guns to protect their empire...their alien smuggling...death, guns, drugs are all associated with fire arms traffcking those are tools of the trade for these criminals."

And Paul Stein...is accused of supplying them. And while he may have been doing this to supplement his income....

ATF agents say he didn't make that much money...but now he may be paying the price . If convicted..he's looking at 10 years in prison.