JAMAICA: RESPONSE BLUE LANTERN LICENSE 050106560

UNCLAS KINGSTON 000640 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR PM/DTCC (KYLE BALLARD) STATE FOR WHA/CAR (KHARNE) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC KOMC JM SUBJECT: JAMAICA: RESPONSE BLUE LANTERN LICENSE 050106560 REF: A) STATE 70444 ¶1. (SBU) In response to reftel request, Post has provided the following information to establish the bona fides of SASCO Distributors Ltd., (SASCO) in Kingston. EconOff and members of the U.S. Marshals Service visited SASCO's offices on July 18. Employees and Principals -------------- ¶2. (SBU) SASCO was established in 1981 and is owned by Leighton Sasso and his wife Natalie Sasso. Employees include: Albert Yap-- Sales Manager Howard Fisher -- Security Manager Evroy Mitchell -- Financial Manager Karlet Dunn -- Secretary and Albert Millen -- Office Assistant Typical Customers -------------- ¶3. (U) Only individuals who possess a Firearm License Certificate issued by the Jamaican Firearm Licensing Authority are allowed to enter the business and purchase ammunition. Customers include bird hunters who purchase shotgun ammunition and private security firms that purchase ammunition for their professional line of work. Customers are primarily from the Kingston metropolitan area. Records of Sales -------------- ¶4. (U) SASCO has an electronic database in which it keeps records of every sale, the entries include the name of the purchaser and their Firearm License Certificate. Security -------------- ¶5. (SBU) SASCO has a Hawkeye alarm system including entry sensors and cameras that can be accessed remotely by the owners on a secured site. The vault where the ammunition and firearms are kept is thick concrete with reinforced steel. Access the vault is limited to Mr. Sasso and Mr. Yap. A security camera directed at the vault door records entry and exit. The organization is a professional operation which upon close inspection appears to have all requisite secure facilities and proper security procedures for handling these United States Munitions List (USML) items. The employees of SASCO understand the restrictions on USML items including the prohibition against unauthorized re-transfers and re-exports. JOHNSON