VZCZCXYZ0022
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMU #1087 3221528
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 181528Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY MANAGUA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0151
INFO WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHMFIUU/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL IMMEDIATE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA IMMEDIATE
RUEHSN/AMEMBASSY SAN SALVADOR

UNCLAS MANAGUA 001087 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
STATE FOR WHA/CEN 
STATE FOR INL 
STATE FOR INR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL SNAR KJUS KCRM NU
SUBJECT: Small Arms Cache Seized in Nicaragua 
 
Summary 
 
¶1.  (U) On Sunday, November 15 the Nicaraguan National Police (NNP) 
and the Nicaraguan Army (NA) seized a small arms cache from a 
Nissan Pathfinder traveling north on the Pan American Highway 35 
miles outside of Managua after it ignored a police checkpoint. 
Nicaraguan police and military officials believe the seized weapons 
belong to a cell of the Mexican Sinaola Cartel that is suspected to 
be operating in Nicaragua.  The weapons confiscation marks an 
alarming trend of arms flowing north to Honduras along the Pan 
American Highway in Nicaragua.  End Summary. 
 
Suspected Arms Cache of Sinaloa Cartel Confiscated Flowing North 
 
¶2. (U) On Sunday, November 16  at 3:00am the Nicaraguan National 
Police (NNP) and the Nicaraguan Army (NA) confiscated a small arms 
cache 35 miles outside of Managua from a Nissan Pathfinder 
traveling north on the Pan American Highway after it failed to stop 
at a police check point.  The NNP, who fired warning shots once the 
SUV failed to stop, later found the vehicle abandoned near the Pan 
American Highway and seized 61 weapons with ammunition from the 
trunk.  The NA confiscated 53 AK-47 rifles, 4 M-16 assault rifles, 
a GALIL assault rifle, M-79 grenade launcher, 2 hand held 
improvised projectile devices, 10 fragmentation grenades, 20 rolls 
of TNT, and over 82 AK-47 magazines.  Police failed to apprehend or 
identify the suspects involved in the incident. 
 
¶3. (U) Both the NNP and NA believe that the seized materials belong 
to a small cell of the Mexican Sinaloa drug trafficking cartel 
suspected to be operating in Nicaragua.  Officials identified 
Roberto Bedolla Corono, alias "El Ingeniero," as the principal 
leader of the Nicaraguan based Sinaloa cell, which is suspected to 
be buying arms principally across rural areas in Nicaragua. 
Nicaraguan officials did not detail Corono's connection to the 
weapons seizure.  Following the confiscation, the NNP extended its 
investigation by raiding several locations in Managua reportedly 
being used as arms caches, including a house previously rented by 
Corono.  The searches yielded no further arms confiscations; 
however, further investigations are being conducted. 
 
Origin and Destination of Weapons 
 
¶4. (SBU) The exact origin of the seized weapons is currently 
unknown. However, Salvador GutiC)rrez, head of the Nicaragua Army 
Special Forces, claimed that the AK-47 rifles obtained originated 
from diverse sources as evidenced by their varied models.  The 
confiscated weapons are being sent to the National Criminal 
Laboratory to ascertain their source. Vilma Reyes, Nicaraguan 
Police Commissioner, speculated that the cache was going to Mexico 
to support the operations of the Sinaloa Cartel.   When questioned 
by local reporters, GutiC)rrez rejected the possibility that the 
small arsenal originated from Nicaraguan weapon storage facilities 
given the strict oversight of these sites by the NA.  We have 
requested additional information on the seizure from the NNP, 
including serial numbers from the weapons. 
 
Comments 
 
¶5. (SBU) Although drugs and currency are the contraband most 
commonly transited in Nicaragua, based on anecdotal accounts, there 
appears to be an increase in weapons smuggling activity in 
Nicaragua.  More importantly, this weapons seizure marks a 
disturbing trend of weapons moving north among the Pan American 
Highway toward Honduras as opposed to the south, the traditional 
transit route for weapons smuggling. 
CALLAHAN