[wterrell]

It is interesting to read of the buyer's actions to bring the pistol into the U.S. If the report is true, the deceptions by the buyer are very problematic:

June 2002: The buyer -- whose name federal officials decline to reveal because the investigation is ongoing -- travels to Switzerland to close the deal: $60,000 is the price. He takes the gun, temporarily removes five pieces to lower its value and smuggles the pistol into Germany. The Luger is mixed with two other, cheaper weapons, and its value listed on Customs forms as $5,000.

August 2002: The Luger clears U.S. Customs. The buyer pays the importer and takes it home.

The buyer -- an expert gunsmith who's been on the History and Discovery channels -- starts going to gun shows, discreetly telling people he's got the BL5, showing them the five removed pieces as proof. One of those listening is a fellow collector who will become a confidential informant in the investigation: Mr. X. He's a little obsessive, a little curmudgeonly, a good note-taker. He has digital photos of the gun pieces the buyer was showing around.