LAS VEGAS – Twenty-two attendees of the recent Shot Show in Las Vegas were arrested on charges of bribery and corruption as they arrived in Las Vegas for the annual gun show.

Those arrested work as suppliers to military and law enforcement authorities. The 2010 Shooting, Hunting & Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT) took place Jan. 19-22 at the Sands Expo & Convention Center. It is the largest exhibition of guns and gun-related items in the world.

All but one of the executives and employees were nabbed as they arrived. The arrest was part of an undercover FBI sting that had the accused agreeing to pay a 20 percent commission to an undercover FBI agent posing as a representative of an African country’s minister of defense.

The defendants worked out a deal worth millions of dollars to outfit that country’s presidential guard. At least one other FBI agent was involved in the sting, posing as a procurement officer for the African nation.

Those arrested worked for companies in Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia, and for overseas firms in Israel and the United Kingdom.

Passed by Congress in 1977, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act makes it illegal to bribe foreign government officials. This is the largest single investigation since the act was passed.

The arrests were a “complete surprise” to officials of the National Shooting Sports Foundation of Newtown, Conn., which sponsors the show and attracted about 55,000 attendees.

Those arrested after the nearly three-year investigation face from five to 20 years in prison on charges of conspiracy, money laundering and violations of the corrupt practices act.