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Bail for US man who 'sent guns to Aussies'

Kentucky man Adam Bunger had no serious criminal history until a tip from Australian authorities found he may be a major seller of guns and drugs.

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Source: AAP


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A US man accused of posting an assault rifle and a 9mm pistol in the mail to buyers in Australia may have also sold marijuana, hallucinogenic mushrooms and silver bullion through an online black market.

Adam Joseph Bunger, 33, from Bowling Green, Kentucky, is accused of using the German-based encrypted "deep web" website Black Market Reloaded to connect with buyers in Australia, the UK and Europe.

During a bail hearing in Kentucky on Friday prosecutors said Bunger was receiving 100 private messages a day regarding the sales of guns.

"He has no serious criminal history, but, man, he has gone from 0 to 100," assistant US attorney Jo Lawless told Judge Brent Brennenstuhl, the Park City Daily News reported.

"... It's a little mind-boggling.

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"He's involved in a level of criminality that we do not often see here."

Bunger's alleged illicit sales were first detected by authorities in Australia when on June 21 in Sydney a package containing an Xbox game console was intercepted.

A disassembled Star Echeverria Modelo Super 9mm pistol and two empty magazines were found inside the Xbox and when the Australian buyer was interviewed by the Australian Federal Police he said he purchased it through Black Market Reloaded, it was alleged.

On July 8 US authorities seized a package allegedly sent by Bunger and bound for the UK containing a disassembled "Uzi style pistol" and another parcel addressed to Australia containing a disassembled assault rifle hidden inside a DVD player.

The prosecutor told Judge Brennenstuhl during the bail hearing more charges were expected to be filed against Bunger.

An investigation had linked Bunger to posts on another online account that sold stolen credit cards, fake IDs, hacked PayPal account information, marijuana, hallucinogenic mushrooms and silver bullion, Lawless said.

Bunger was released from custody on $US25,000 ($A26,628) unsecured bond.


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