PRE-LICENSE CHECK ON APPLICATIONS 050050978 & 050050700

UNCLAS SAN SALVADOR 001531 SIPDIS STATE FOR PM/DTCC - BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KOMC ETTC ES SUBJECT: PRE-LICENSE CHECK ON APPLICATIONS 050050978 & 050050700 REF: A) SECSTATE 97623 ¶1. Summary. On July 23, Emboff visited the business office of Mudisa (Worldwide moving and cargo),and two days later visited the business office of Hunter's Gun (arms, ammunitions and accessories), to conduct a pre-license check on applications 050050978 and 050050700 for the export of pistols to El Salvador as requested in reftel. Mudisa is a well known Salvadoran international moving and freight forwarding company that also has had a contract for many years with the U.S. Embassy in San Salvador. Mudisa transports the pistols in El Salvador. Mudisa's major stockholders are Gabriel Alvarez and Maria Consuelo de Alvarez. Hunter's Gun, which is acquiring the arms from Valor Corporation, has its legal papers, permits, and recordkeeping in good order and the business appears legitimate. Hunter's Gun is owned by Sonia Elizabeth Alvarenga de Granados and her father Alberto Mauricio Alvarenga Hernandez. End Summary. Mudisa -------------- ¶2. Mudisa is an international moving and freight forwarding company founded in El Salvador in 1963. Website: http://www.mudisa.com/. Mudisa's major stockholders are Gabriel Alvarez and Maria Consuelo de Alvarez. Mudisa is a very well known and reliable company in El Salvador and it seems to comply with all the security requirements. Mudisa has been providing moving and freight forwarding services to the U.S. Embassy in San Salvador for 25 years, and it currently has a 12 year old contract with the Embassy. Mudisa was subcontracted by Mudanzas Mundiales from Costa Rica. Website: http://www.mudanzasmundiales.com/ to transport the pistols stated on applications 050050978 and 050050700 from the U.S. to El Salvador. Mudanzas Mundiales was also subcontracted by Air-Sea Forwarders, Inc. http://www.airseainc.com/ to transport the pistols, but Mudanzas Mundiales has no representative in El Salvador. Air-Sea Forwarders were directly contacted by Valor Corporation to transport the pistols to El Salvador. Mudisa has transported arms and accessories for Valor Corporation several times in the past. Mudisa's owner, Mr. Gabriel Alvarez, provided Emboff with copies of the shipment orders performed to other Salvadoran guns store, e.g. Target Sports, S.A. de C.V. Hunter's Gun Business Structure -------------- ¶3. Hunter's Gun was established in June of 1995, and is owned by Sonia Elizabeth Alvarenga de Granados and her father Alberto Mauricio Alvarenga Hernandez. Its Legal Representative is Sonia Elizabeth Alvarenga de Granados. They sell exclusively to Salvadoran customers and those include the Salvadoran municipalities, security businesses, the army and the civil population. They import their merchandise from the Czech Republic, Turkey, and Argentina. They sell around $60,000/month of arms, ammunitions and accessories. Hunter's Gun Facilities -------------- ¶4. The business is in a well-situated area in a middle class neighborhood surrounded by other businesses in the El Salvador's capital city, San Salvador. The business is located on Constitution Boulevard. There are 10 employees at the store, including 4 salespeople and 2 armed guards that provide 24 hour security. The store also has a security surveillance company that also watches the building. The surveillance company provides them with 2 cameras, and with movement and panic sensors. Hunter's Gun Legal Documentation -------------- ¶5. Hunter's provided Emboff proper documentation verifying that they are legally registered to operate in El Salvador. They also gave Emboff copies of the annual report they provide to the Ministry of Defense to obtain their special permit for the Commercialization of Arms, Ammunitions, and Accessories as well as of the annual special permit for Importing Arms, Ammunitions, and Accessories. Emboff also reviewed their ammunitions and arms recordkeeping and they were in good order and both contained the periodical police reviews required by the Law for the Control and Regulation of Arms, Ammunitions, Explosives and Similar Articles. ¶5. Comment: By all appearances, both the international moving and freight forwarding company Mudisa, and the arms business Hunter's Gun are legitimate businesses. Mudisa has been performing moving and freight forwarding services to the Embassy for a long time and it is well known by Embassy officers. Hunter's Gun is well located and seems to have all its papers in order. Butler