FLINT, Mich. (AP) — Authorities say six Flint-area party stores and gas stations bought food stamps from people who usually used the cash to buy drugs.

The Flint Journal reports that the retailers used the food stamps to stock their shelves and in some cases buy crab legs and steak dinners.

Detective Trooper Stacey Moore of the Flint Area Narcotics Group says the stores often paid just $50 for food stamps intended to buy $250 worth of food for a needy family.

Moore said the drug unit had an undercover officer go into the stores and sell a fake benefits card, often to the owner or a relative of the owner.

Each store is accused of more than $1,000 in fraud over at least 12 months.

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Information from: The Flint Journal, http://www.mlive.com/flint