OCALA, Fla. -- Two women arrested during a traffic stop were apparently trying to trade a rare World War II-era Japanese machine gun for crack cocaine, police said.

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IMAGES: Rare Japanese Machine Gun Found

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Officers initially pulled over a car in the 100 block of Northeast 11th Avenue in Williston and said they found crack, a crack pipe and prescriptions drugs inside the vehicle.

When police searched the rest of the vehicle, they found the Nambu machine gun used by Japanese soldiers.

"When (the officer) started to pull it out, he realized it was much heavier than a normal gun and much bigger," Williston Police Chief Dan Davis said. "We've learned since then that the gun was produced and in service for Japan between 1922 and 1945."

The women claim one of their grandfathers gave the weapon to them but federal agents believe it was smuggled into Florida.

Officers said the gun could still fire shots.

Davis said investigators suspect the women were planning to trade the rare gun for crack cocaine.

Bowers, 45, of Dunnellon, and her passenger, Abby Ross, 45, of Beverly Hills, were charged with illegal possession of prescription drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia, the Ocala Star Banner reported.

Agents are still trying to determine how the women got their hands on the weapon.

Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.