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
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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
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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