VZCZCXYZ0005
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #3456 2231927
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 111910Z AUG 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHSJ/AMEMBASSY SAN JOSE 0000
INFO RUETIAA/DIRNSA FT GEORGE G MEADE MD
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC 0000
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHINGTON DC 0000

UNCLAS STATE 083456 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
SAN JOSE FOR ROBERT ANDREW 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETTC KOMC CS
SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: POST-LICENSE/PRE-SHIPMENT 
END-USE CHECK ON LICENSES 050134369, 050175886, 050175888, 
AND 050175889 
 
¶1. (U) This is an Action Request. See paragraphs 2 - 4. 
 
¶2. (U) The Department's Office of Defense Trade Controls 
Compliance (PM/DTCC) requests Post's assistance in conducting 
a post-license/pre-shipment check on licenses 050134369, 
050175886, 050175888, and 050175889 for the export of 
firearms to Costa Rica.  Post is requested to complete this 
Blue Lantern check within 30 days.  Lack of response to a 
Blue Lantern check will affect pending and future licenses 
involving parties to this license. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Reason for Request: A Blue Lantern check in 2000 
found that El Hispano S.A. may import firearms and ammunition 
on behalf of other retail dealers.  Rather than importing 
larger quantities of firearms a few times a year to stock its 
inventory, El Hispano imports smaller quantities of firearms 
more frequently.  This is often done before existing export 
licenses are exhausted.  This check is to obtain more 
information on El Hispano S.A.'s customer base and to 
determine that the company does not/not sell U.S.-origin 
firearms to end-users outside Costa Rica. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Action Request: Export license 050134369 has already 
been shipped to El Hispano S.A. whereas 050175886, 050175888, 
and 050175889 have not yet been shipped.  This request is for 
post to review El Hispano's sales records for the firearms 
exported under licenses 050134369 to determine if the company 
is importing on behalf of other firearms dealers and to 
verify that El Hispano's customers are based in Costa Rica. 
Post is also requested to establish the bona fides of the 
transactions under 050175886, 050175888, and 050175889 by 
making inquiries to representatives of the company and 
appropriate authorities of the Government of Costa Rica.  The 
following points are included for guidance: 
 
(To El Hispano S.A.) 
 
--What products and services does your company provide? Who 
are your regular customers and where do they reside? 
 
--What are your annual sales of U.S.-origin firearms? 
 
--To whom will you sell the firearms received under U.S. 
export licenses 050175886, 050175888, and 050175889? 
 
--Please provide sales records for firearms received via U.S. 
export licenses 050134369.  Were any of these 
firearms re-exported to end-users outside Costa Rica?  Have 
you ever re-exported U.S.-origin firearme or other 
U.S.-origin defense articles to end-users outside Costa Rica? 
 
(To Import/Export Authorities and/or Appropriate Law 
Enforcement Officials) 
 
--Is El Hispano S.A. properly authorized to import and sell 
defense articles in Costa Rica? 
 
-- Do you have any records of El Hispano S.A. exporting 
U.S.-origin firearme or other U.S.-origin defense articles to 
end-users outside Costa Rica? 
 
--Do you have any information on El Hispano S.A. that would 
question their reliability as a recipient of U.S. defense 
articles? 
 
In its reply, Post is requested to comment on any other 
information pertinent to these transactions such as security 
of facilities, end-use, and concerns about the entities 
involved. 
 
¶5. (U) Details of license applications: 
 
¶A. 
 
DTC Case: 050134369  (NOTE: This license has already been 
shipped) 
 
QUANTITY/COMMODITY: 
 
10 Springfield XDM Pistols, .40 Caliber 
 
10 Springfield XD9 Pistols, 9mm 
 
10 Springfield XD45 Pistols, .45 Caliber 
 
5 Springfield 1911A1 Pistols, .45 Caliber 
 
License Value: USD $25,250 
 
SELLER: 
 
Lou's Police Distributors 
7815 West 4 Avenue 
Hialeah, FL 33014 
 
FOREIGN END-USER: 
 
El Hispano S.A. 
Calle 21 Av Central Frente a Bomba la Primavera 
(NOTE: Purchase order lists PO Box 4143-1000) 
San Jose, Costa Rica 
Tel: (506) 22551974 
 
PURPOSE: 
 
For commercial resale in Costa Rica 
 
¶B. 
 
DTC Case: 050175886  (NOTE: This license has not/not been 
shipped) 
 
QUANTITY/COMMODITY: 
 
10 Springfield XDM Pistols, .40 Caliber 
 
21 Springfield XD9 Pistols, 9mm 
 
11 Springfield XD45 Pistols, .45 Caliber 
 
13 Springfield XD Pistols, .357 Caliber 
 
7 Springfield XD40 Pistols, .40 Caliber 
 
10 Savage 936 Rifles, .22 Caliber 
 
License Value: USD $48,500 
 
SELLER: 
 
Lou's Police Distributors 
7815 West 4 Avenue 
Hialeah, FL 33014 
 
FOREIGN END-USER: 
 
El Hispano S.A. 
Calle 21 Av Central Frente a Bomba la Primavera 
(NOTE: Purchase order lists PO Box 4143-1000) 
San Jose, Costa Rica 
Tel: (506) 22551974 
 
PURPOSE: 
 
For commercial resale in Costa Rica 
 
¶C. 
 
DTC Case: 050175888  (NOTE: This license has not/not been 
shipped) 
 
QUANTITY/COMMODITY: 
 
3 Magnum Research Model BFR Revolvers, 45 - 70 Caliber 
 
3 Smith & Wesson M329 Revolvers, .44 Caliber 
 
3 Smith & Wesson M351PD Revolvers, .22 Caliber 
 
4 Smith & Wesson M327PD Revolvers, .357 Caliber 
 
3 Smith & Wesson M327PD Revolvers, .357 Caliber 
 
5 Springfield 1911A1 Pistols, .45 Caliber 
 
License Value: USD $14,601 
 
SELLER: 
 
Lou's Police Distributors 
7815 West 4 Avenue 
Hialeah, FL 33014 
 
FOREIGN END-USER: 
 
El Hispano S.A. 
Calle 21 Av Central Frente a Bomba la Primavera 
(NOTE: Purchase order lists PO Box 4143-1000) 
San Jose, Costa Rica 
Tel: (506) 22551974 
 
PURPOSE: 
 
For commercial resale in Costa Rica 
 
¶D. 
 
DTC Case: 050175889  (NOTE: This license has not/not been 
shipped) 
 
QUANTITY/COMMODITY: 
 
5 H&K USP9 Pistols, 9mm 
 
5 H&K USP40 Pistols, .40 Caliber 
 
20 Taurus M25BP Pistols, .25 Caliber 
 
20 Taurus M229BPP Pistols, .25 Caliber 
 
3 Taurus M4510TKP-3B Revolvers, .410/45 Caliber 
 
License Value: USD $17,700 
 
SELLER: 
 
Lou's Police Distributors 
7815 West 4 Avenue 
Hialeah, FL 33014 
 
FOREIGN END-USER: 
 
El Hispano S.A. 
Calle 21 Av Central Frente a Bomba la Primavera 
(NOTE: Purchase order lists PO Box 4143-1000) 
San Jose, Costa Rica 
Tel: (506) 22551974 
 
PURPOSE: 
 
For commercial resale in Costa Rica 
 
¶6. (U) Submitted in support of the license application were 
the following documents (PM/DTCC will fax documentation to 
Posts upon request): 
 
¶A. 
 
DSP-83 signed by Linda Riccobono (Lou's Police) dated 
11/22/2008 and Randall Gazel Faith (El Hispano) dated 
09/23/2008 
 
Import Permit Oficio No. 2603-2008-DGA-OT issued by the 
Ministry of Public Security signed by William Hidalgo 
Echavarria dated 10/03/2008 
 
Purchase Order from El Hispano signed by Randall Gazel Faith 
dated 09/23/2008 
 
¶B. 
 
DSP-83 signed by Linda Riccobono (Lou's Police) dated 
06/17/2009 and Randall Gazel Faith (El Hispano) dated 
06/01/2009 
 
Import Permit Oficio No. 2400-2008-DGA-OT issued by the 
Ministry of Public Security signed by William Hidalgo 
Echavarria dated 10/10/2008 
 
Import Permit Oficio No. 2136-2008-DGA-OT issued by the 
Ministry of Public Security signed by William Hidalgo 
Echavarria dated 09/14/2008 
 
Purchase Order from El Hispano signed by Randall Gazel Faith 
dated 06/01/2009 
 
¶C. 
 
DSP-83 signed by Linda Riccobono (Lou's Police) dated 
06/13/2009 and Randall Gazel Faith (El Hispano) dated 
06/03/2009 
 
Import Permit Oficio No. 2462-2008-DGA-OT issued by the 
Ministry of Public Security signed by William Hidalgo 
Echavarria dated 09/17/2008 
 
Import Permit Oficio No. 2668-2008-DGA-OT issued by the 
Ministry of Public Security signed by William Hidalgo 
Echavarria dated 10/09/2008 
 
Import Permit Oficio No. 3257-2008-DGA-OT issued by the 
Ministry of Public Security signed by William Hidalgo 
Echavarria dated 12/09/2008 
 
Purchase Order from El Hispano signed by Randall Gazel Faith 
dated 06/03/2009 
 
¶D. 
 
DSP-83 signed by Linda Riccobono (Lou's Police) dated 
06/14/2009 and Randall Gazel Faith (El Hispano) dated 
06/07/2009 
 
Import Permit Oficio No. 166-2009-DGA-OT issued by the 
Ministry of Public Security signed by William Hidalgo 
Echavarria dated 01/22/2009 
 
Import Permit Oficio No. 158-2009-DGA-OT issued by the 
Ministry of Public Security signed by William Hidalgo 
Echavarria dated 01/21/2009 
 
Purchase Order from El Hispano signed by Randall Gazel Faith 
dated 06/07/2009 
 
¶7. (U) Please slug reply for PM/DTCC - BLUE LANTERN 
COORDINATOR and include the words "Blue Lantern" and the case 
number in the subject line.  POC is Kyle M. Ballard, Phone: 
202-663-1929; Email: BallardKM@state.gov; SIPRNET: 
BallardKM@state.sgov.gov.  The Blue Lantern Guidebook (ref) 
is available as a PDF file on Intellipedia: 
http://www.intelink.gov/wiki/ 
Blue Lantern End-Use Monitoring Program 
 
¶8. (U) Department is grateful for Post's assistance in this 
matter. 
CLINTON