VZCZCXYZ0005
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSN #1531 2212138
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 092138Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY SAN SALVADOR
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7260

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