VZCZCXYZ0004
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHME #3376/01 3342314
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 302314Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY MEXICO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9213
INFO RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/FBI WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/HQ BICE INTEL WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE

237278
2009-11-30 23:14:00
09MEXICO3376
Embassy Mexico
CONFIDENTIAL
09STATE57530
VZCZCXYZ0004
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHME #3376/01 3342314
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 302314Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY MEXICO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9213
INFO RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/FBI WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/HQ BICE INTEL WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE

TAGS: ETTC KOMC SNAR MX
C O N F I D E N T I A L MEXICO 003376 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR PM/DTCC - BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR, WHA/MEX, AND INL/LP 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08 OCTOBER 2019 
TAGS: ETTC KOMC SNAR MX
SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 3: POST SHIPMENT END-USE CHECK 
ON LICENSE 050016624  
REF: STATE 57530 
 
Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Gustavo Delgado. Reason: 1. 
4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Blue lantern Coordinators requested that Poloff 
investigate the circumstances surrounding the recovery of an 
U.S. licensed AR-15 rifle from a Mexican crime scene and 
substantiate the chain of custody from the supplier to the 
end user.  The investigative branch of the Mexican Attorney 
General (PGR CENAPI) used E-trace to determine that the last 
legal point of sale was Bushmaster International, LLC. 
Realizing that the recovered weapon was part of a USG 
licensed sale, Bushmaster notified the State Department.  The 
Department does not track individual serial numbers of 
weapons involved with USG licensed sales. Therefore, it is 
reliant on supplier information to provide the basis of 
investigations.  This investigation tracked the chain of 
custody for the weapon through the following entities: the 
U.S. supplier, the U.S. manufacture representative in Mexico, 
the Mexican customs-broker, the Mexican Army, and the State 
Government of Michoacan.  End Summary. 
 
 
¶2. (SBU)  The Defense Attach Office's sent an official 
request to the Secretariat of Defense (SEDENA) on 23 June 
2009 and received a response to reftel questions on 10 August 
¶2009. 
 
¶Q.  Did the GOM receive all 1030 AR-15 type rifles exported 
under license 050016624? 
 
¶A.  SEDENA received 507 rifles on 21 December 2006 and 523 
rifles on 5 January 2007.  SEDENA stated that all the items 
were received in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas. 
 
¶Q.  Can the GOM provide documentation demonstrating the 
receipt of the rifles by SEDENA? 
 
¶A.  SEDENA provided the following documentation with regards 
to the items received under license 0550016624:  Application 
and Permit of Permanent Exportation of Firearms, Warehouse 
receipt of 507 firearms, Importation Contract 093/2006, Card 
of Final Destination, Bushmaster Certificate of Origin, 
Warehouse Receipt of 523 firearms, Transfer of Custody to 
Government of Michoacan, and Warehouse Inventory.  The 
following information is deemed to be important from the 
documentation. 
 
-- On 21 November, 2006, SEDENA received the license from the 
USG to receive Bushmaster 5.56x46 rifles as part of license 
¶0550016624. 
 
-- On 28 November, 2006, SEDENA received 507 Bushmaster 
5.56x46 and the serial numbers of all of the weapons are 
listed. 
 
-- On 5 December 2006, SEDENA and Bushmaster Firearms 
International, LLC signed importation contract 093/2006 for 
1,030 Bushmaster 5.56x45 rifles and associated hardware. 
 
-- On December 9, 2006, SEDENA presented a note of final 
destination to Bushmaster Firearms International, LLC. 
SEDENA stated that the 1,030 Bushmaster 5.56x45 rifles that 
were purchased as part of contract 093/2006 were for ultimate 
use by the states of Baja California, Chihuahua, and 
Michoacan.  The note also stated that SEDENA understood that 
U.S. law prohibits the re-export of these weapons. 
 
-- On 12 December, 2006 Bushmaster sent 523 Bushmaster 5.56 
rifles to SEDENA.  The list included the rifle with serial 
number L428091. 
 
-- On 10 January, 2007 SEDENA received 523 Bushmaster 5.56 
rifles at the port of entry, Nuevo Laredo. The list matched 
the Certificate of Origin issued by Bushmaster Firearms 
International, LLC and L428091 was part of the list. 
 
-- On 15 May 2007, L428091 was part of a shipment of 121 
Bushmaster 5.56x45 rifles (contract number 093/2006) from 
SEDENA to the Secretariat of Public Security in Michoacan. 
SEDENA did not provide any further chain of custody 
information on the specific state or local law enforcement 
entity or the ultimate individual retaining the weapon. 
 
-- On 21 May 2007, the SEDENA arms warehouse at Campo Militar 
No. 1-D, Lomas de Tecamachalco, Municipio de Naucalpan de 
Juarez, Estado de Mexico inventoried 500 pieces of hardware 
that included 81 Bushmaster 5.56 rifles remaining in SEDENA 
custody from contract number 093/2006.  SEDENA is willing to 
provide the transfer of custody paperwork for the weapons 
that went to the Baja and Chihuahua in order to show complete 
accountability for all the weapons that were part of contract 
093/2006. 
 
¶Q.  Can the GOM provide documentation demonstrating that the 
firearms were transferred and received by the Secretarias de 
Seguridad Publica in Baja, Chihuahua and Michoacan 
 
¶A.  SEDENA provided documentation that shows that 121 
Bushmaster 5.56x45 rifles including L428091 were transferred 
to the government of Michoacan and signed off by Francisco 
Gabriel Huerta Cruz, El Ciudadano Licencia del Gobierno 
Michoacan. 
 
¶Q.  Did the GOM authorize the re-transfer of any of these 
rifles? 
 
¶A.  No 
 
¶Q.  Does the GOM maintain sufficient records to allow a 
thorough inventory of rifles in stock and account for the 
current location of the 1030 AR-15 rifles? 
 
¶A.  SEDENA provided an inventory of 81 AR-15 rifles remaining 
in its warehouse from the original shipment of weapons per 
license 050016624.  The inventory is not broken down by 
serial number.  SEDENA also provided the transfer document 
for the 121 AR-15 rifles sent to the Government of Michoacan. 
 SEDENA insists that it strictly controls and documents the 
distribution of weapons legally arriving in Mexico.  SEDENA 
has advised that it will provide us documentation that speaks 
to the chain of custody for the remaining 828 AR-15 rifles 
shipped in connection to license 050016624. 
 
¶Q.  Did the GOM or SEDENA re-export these weapons? 
 
¶A.  No 
 
¶Q.  Does SEDENA register and inventory arms that they export? 
 
¶A.  Mexico does not export war material. 
 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Poloff from Consulate Monterrey interviewed Carlos 
Salas Sosa, Director of Operations, Central Aduanas de 
Mexico, S.A. on 10 September 2009. 
 
¶Q.  When was your company established and who are its 
principals? 
 
¶A.  Central Aduanas de Mexico (CAM) was established in 1949. 
It is an association with offices in Mexico City, Toluca, 
Guadalajara, and Monterrey.  Eduardo Valle and Fortino 
Escamillo are the principal officers in charge of CAM 
operations in D.F.  Carlos Salas Sosa is the principal 
officer and Edna Alanis is the General Administrator in 
charge of operations in Monterrey. 
 
¶Q.  What goods and services does your company provide? 
 
¶A.  CAM is a full service customs broker, specializing in the 
import and export of goods to and from Mexico. 
 
¶Q.  Who are your regular customers? 
 
¶A.  Daimler, CADECO, John Deer and many other companies 
specializing in trucks and agricultural equipment. 
 
¶Q.  What was your role in the transaction involving export 
license 05001664? 
 
¶A.  CAM only handled the importation of the weapons.  In the 
case of firearms, the manufacturer is responsible for the 
export license. 
 
¶Q.  Did CAM physically take possession of the firearms and 
can you provide all the documentation involved in this 
transaction? 
 
¶A.  CAM took possession of the arms in Laredo, TX., 
inventoried the arms, walked them through U.S. and Mexican 
customs, and delivered them at the border to the Mexican 
Army.  The documents are available with CAM agent Orlando 
Farza in Laredo.  He can fax them upon request.  His phone 
number is (956) 722-6346. 
 
¶Q.  What is your relationship with Central Aduanas de Laredo, 
TX? 
 
¶A.  This was CAM's branch in Texas.  It was closed three 
years ago because the employees were dishonest and it was not 
profitable.  As a result, no business or partnership 
agreement with this office presently exist. 
 
¶Q.  What is CAM's relationship with Eduardo Jordan? 
 
¶A.  Eduardo Jordan is Bushmaster Firearms International 
representative in Metepec, Estado de Mexico.  CAM has no 
contractual relationship with Eduardo Jordan.  Orlando Farza 
based in Laredo TX may be able to provide more information. 
As noted above, he can be reached at 956-722-6346. 
 
¶Q.  What was Eduardo Jordan's role in this transaction? 
 
¶A.  Unknown 
 
¶Q.  Did Eduardo Jordan ever have physical possession of the 
firearms? 
 
¶A.  Impossible.  CAM claimed the weapons at the border, 
cleared the weapons through customs, and the Mexican army 
took immediate possession. 
 
 
¶4. (SBU)   Another Embassy poloff interviewed Eduardo Jordan 
on 14 January 2008 for a pre-license check of 050054200, 
050054678, 050055652, 050055694, 050055700, and 050054219. 
Embassy's current Blue Lantern Officer made several attempts 
to contact Eduardo Jordan for this investigation during the 
months of August and September, however, his office indicated 
that he was on travel and could not be reached.  Eduardo 
Jordan is operating from the same office and is using the 
same number as in 2008.  Contacts with Central Aduanas de 
Mexico, the paper trail provided by SEDENA, and the 
appearance of consistency based on the 2008 interview 
indicate that Eduardo Jordan had only minimal involvement 
with this transaction. 
 
¶5.  (C)  Comment.  Post's Blue Lantern Officer does not 
believe that SEDENA, Bushmaster Firearms International LLC, 
Central Aduanas de Mexico, or Eduardo Jordan committed 
malfeasance with regards to export license 050016624. 
Although there are a couple of discrepancies with regards to 
the dates of the initial import of 507 rifles versus the 
actual contract date for the 1030 rifles, the chain of 
custody and transfer to the Government of Michoacan for the 
rifle in question, L428091, is well documented and appears to 
be valid.  Post's Blue Lantern Officer is coordinating with 
Immigration and Customs (ICE) Agents at Post to approach the 
State Government of Michoacan.  ICE agents indicated that 
they may use a newly formed vetted unit to obtain additional 
information.  ICE agents at post do not believe that an overt 
inquiry to the state official that signed the documents would 
yield any significant information.  Using the Mexican vetted 
unit, however, could provide new details on tracking and 
inventory procedures at the local and state level. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  On the basis of this and similar cases, it is not 
evident that government officials at the state apply strict 
enforcement measures to track the chain of custody of weapons 
once SEDENA transfers them from its custody to the custody of 
state officials.  Given the lack of accountability for 
weapons once they arrive at the state level, U.S. law 
enforcement agencies have fair reason to worry that a number 
of weapons simply "disappear."  Because USG access to 
recovered weapons in Mexico remains limited, it is difficult 
to gauge just how serious a problem this is and to what 
extent these weapons turn up in the hands of criminal 
organizations in Mexico. 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  Post believes both the USG and the GOM need to 
take a more systematic approach to tracking weapon transfers 
to the state level and beyond to the final end user.  We 
support the Blue Lantern Coordinator's proposal that his 
 
office bundle, according to region, the cases of firearms 
recovered from crime scenes.  Mission Mexico's ICE and ATF 
Attaches would then approach the Mexico Attorney General 
PGR's International Relations Office with a list of the 
serial numbers of confiscated weapons that had been 
transferred to state authorities and request a fuller 
accounting for how these weapons ended up in the hands of 
criminals.  On a broader policy level, the Embassy will urge 
the GOM to work with states to develop a stricter policy with 
regard to accounting for weapons once they arrive at the 
state level.  End Comment 
 
 
 
 
Visit Mexico City's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/mexicocity and the North American 
Partnership Blog at http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/nap / 
PASCUAL