BLUE LANTERN PRE-LICENSE CHECK 050197112

UNCLAS BOGOTA 003495 SENSITIVE SIPDIS PM/DTCC BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR, KYLE M. BALLARD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC KOMC CO SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN PRE-LICENSE CHECK 050197112 REF: STATE 113907 ¶1. (U) Summary. Per reftel, Emboffs traveled to the offices of JFW Colombia S.A. (JFW) in Bogota on November 17 and met with JFW manager Ricardo Roig. JFW is a small weapons broker that has contracted with Colombian National Police and military previously. JFW provided Emboffs the contract for ammunition cartridges for the Colombian National Police (CNP) - the end-user. CNP officials confirmed this contract order to Emboffs. End Summary. ¶2. (U) Emboffs were met by manager Ricardo Javier Lopez Roig at his offices in a business area in north Bogota. The offices were small and only Roig and his secretary were present. Roig explained that the staff usually works from home and rarely comes into the office. JFW was registered in 2005 and is a family-run business with six partners and five employees. According to the business registry Roig provided to Emboffs, the principal partners are his brothers-in-law: Daniel Ricardo Pulido Riveros, Rafael Eduardo Orozco Marino and Soraya Orozco Marino. Other partners listed are: Luis Alerto Camacho Gomez, Aurora Marino Leal and Rocio del Pilar Orozco. ¶3. (U) Prior to JFW, the business was known as Ricardo Lopez Roig y Asociados Limitados for sixteen years. The family decided to register as JFW about five years ago and establish a sister company JFW American Technology Inc. (JFW American) in the U.S. to ease tax burdens and the paperwork involved in acting as a legal representative for over forty separate foreign companies in Colombia. By establishing a company that represents U.S. companies in the U.S., JFW can also import products into Colombia more easily from the United States. The owner of JFW American is Mr. Roig's brother. The companies JFW represents export military supplies through JFW, including rifles, machine guns, and ammunition. Roig also mentioned that the company imports items from Canada, the Czech Republic, and Italy, including machinery used in the manufacture of ammunition and night vision goggles from Canada. Mr. Roig specified that he does not import electronics or aviation equipment. JFW negotiates prices, competes for contracts, and acts as the legal representative for these companies in Colombia. ¶4. (U) Roig showed Emboffs a large binder of documentation for each sale, and provided Emboffs with a copy of the CNP contract . Roig explained that CNP chose his company to broker the sale because it is a small company willing to make smaller purchases, unlike larger brokers. Roig stated that he had worked with CNP before, but this was the first time importing ammunition. According to Roig, JFW sells approximately US $1.2 million worth of arms and munitions yearly. ¶5. (U) Roig stated that JFW deals exclusively with Colombian military and police, and does not sell equipment outside of Colombia or to private parties. Roig explained that once the supplies are flown into Bogota, they are accompanied by the branch of the Colombian military or police that ordered the equipment. Roig understands that these items may not be re-transferred or re-exported without prior consent of the United States. He added that at no point does JFW take possession of or store the equipment it brokers. The security in the offices was light but appeared adequate given that JFW does not store the materials it brokers. Roig appeared to have in-depth knowledge and documentation concerning the license in question. ¶6. (U) Prior to the site visit to JFW, the CNP office of international cooperation verbally confirmed the JFW contract. CNP officials explained that the reason for the small contract order of ammunition cartridges was due to limited end-of-years funds. BROWNFIELD