HAMLET, North Carolina — A North Carolina man has been arrested after being accused of manufacturing and selling hundreds of machine guns.

Investigators were initially notified after arresting another man in Wake County.

The defendant was allegedly described to FBI agents as “AK Guru,” also known as Earl Carter of Hamlet, located in Richmond County near the South Carolina border.

The FBI arrested Carter after going undercover and viewing Carter’s operation at his home.

The criminal complaint states that FBI agents learned that “Carter has manufactured and sold hundreds of machine guns to date. Agents also learned that he manufactured them either by modifying legal firearms or by assembling parts deconstructed machine guns to make functional weapons.

The complaint says the FBI used a confidential informant and another defendant who agreed to cooperate with law enforcement.

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A search warrant led to Carter’s home in Hamlet and dozens of homemade machine guns and suppressors.

The person cooperating with the FBI estimated that Carter sold at least 1,000 modified automatic weapons to different groups across the Carolinas.

The complaint alleges that certain customers identified as “mountain people” purchased several AK-style weapons from Carter each week.

The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina is prosecuting the case.

The FBI also said the investigation was ongoing and it would have no further comment.

ABC Raleigh affiliate WTVD also contacted Carter’s attorney by phone and email but did not receive a response.