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Viewing cable 10STATE369, U) BLUE LANTERN PRE-LICENSE END USE CHECK ON
If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|---|
10STATE369 | 2010-01-04 21:34 | 2011-04-06 00:00 | SECRET | Secretary of State |
VZCZCXYZ0015
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHC #0369 0042140
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
R 042134Z JAN 10
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 0000
INFO RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 0000
RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA 0000
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC 0000
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHINGTON DC 0000
RUEPINS/HQ BICE INTEL WASHINGTON DC 0000
S E C R E T STATE 000369
NOFORN
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
FOR ECON MEGAN L. SELMON
E.O. 12958: DECL: 25X1-HUMAN
TAGS: CO ETTC KOMC PM SNAR TH
SUBJECT: (U) BLUE LANTERN PRE-LICENSE END USE CHECK ON
APPLICATION TAA 0361-04F AND TAA 4140-08D
REF: A. 06 STATE 92781 07 JUN 2006
¶B. 06 BOGOTA 7094 04 AUG 2006
¶C. STATE 99488 24 SEP 2009
¶D. BOGOTA 3361 12 NOV 2009
¶E. 90 BOGOTA 7550 16 MAY 1990
¶F. IIR 6 819 0285 92 18 DEC 1991
¶G. IIR 6 022 0061 93 23 OCT 1992
¶H. IIR 6 819 0486 93 03 MAR 1993
¶I. IIR 6 022 0380 93 23 MAR 1993
¶J. IIR 6 022 0410 93 25 MAR 1993
¶K. IIR 6 022 0452 93 09 APR 1993
¶L. 1993-08-20-18.19.33 20 AUG 1993
¶M. IIR 6 022 0326 94 17 JUN 1994
¶N. 96 BOGOTA 5708 13 JUN 1996
¶O. IIR 7 500 0135 04 23 MAR 2004
¶P. IIR 7 111 0669 04 04 MAY 2004
Classified By: MULTIPLE SOURCES
¶1. (U) This is an action message. See paragraphs 2-9.
¶2. (U) The Department's Office of Defense Trade Controls
Compliance (PM/DTCC) requests post assistance in conducting a
pre-license check on two amendments to previously approved
Technical Assistance Agreements (TAAs). 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. (U) Reason for request: TAA 0361-04F pertains to the
provision of defense services, unclassified defense articles
and technical data in support of the government of Colombia's
illicit crop eradication program, through fixed and rotary
wing aircraft operations, maintenance, training, and
logistics support. TAA 4140-08D pertains to the transfer of
surveillance and security-related defense articles, defense
services, and unclassified technical data to help maintain
security in Thailand's southern region. Both TAAs seek to
add the same foreign party, Colombian company Vertical de
Aviacion Ltda. On TAA 0361-04F, the applicant wishes to add
Vertical de Aviacion as a sub-licensee for general aircraft
repair. On TAA 4140-08D, the applicant wishes to add
Vertical de Aviacion as a subcontractor to install camera
systems on helicopters. A previous amendment to one of these
TAAs (TAA 0361-04B), sought to add Vertical de Aviacion as a
licensee for aircraft repair and maintenance, however, this
request was denied by the Department due to a Blue Lantern
check that was closed unfavorably (Ref. A-B). More recently,
post responded favorably to a Blue Lantern check on the bona
fides of Vertical de Aviacion as a U.S. registered broker
(Ref. C-D). Because of this variance in post responses,
PM/DTCC wishes to conduct another check in order to resolve
this discrepancy and also obtain additional information from
Vertical de Aviacion.
¶4. (S//NF) Ref. A requested post's assessment of classified
reporting found on Vertical de Aviacion, HelitaxiLtda (the
former name of Vertical de Aviacion), and its owner, Byron
Lopez Salazar, alleging corruption, narcotrafficking, and
money laundering. Post consulted with the DATT, FBI,
USMILGROUP, and DEA at embassy, and confirmed the accuracy of
this reporting (Ref. B).
¶5. (U) According to Jane's and Dun & Bradstreet reports,
Vertical de AviacionLtda was established in 1982 as Helitaxi
Ltda. The name of the company was changed to Vertical de
Aviacion in September 2002. The president of
Helitaxi/Vertical de Aviacion is Byron Lopez Salazar (one or
more of his sons are also involved in this and related
businesses). The following are excerpts about Helitaxi,
Byron Lopez Salazar, and Vertical de Aviacion from 12 reports
dated 1990-2004 (two of these reports were cited in Ref. A).
¶6. (S//NF) SUBJ: AG INVESTIGATES ALLEGED COMMUNICATIONS
BETWEEN EX PRESIDENT LOPEZ MICHELSEN AND PABLO ESCOBAR.
Byron Lopez is believed to have criminal contacts. (Ref. E);
SUBJ: DRUG ACTIVITIES/INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE MELGAR, TOLIMA
DEPT. Byron Lopez is the owner of Helitaxi. The firm was
once taken over by authorities because it was created with
monies coming from the drug trade. (Ref. F); SUBJ: HEROIN
TRAFFICKING. Helicopters belonging to Helitaxi allegedly
land in Barua, load drums of unknown type chemicals, and
transport the drums to the laboratory which is located on a
ranch. Reportedly, the helicopter registration numbers are
removed when they are used for illegal purposes. (Ref. G);
SUBJ: BASIC DATA ON HELITAXI LTDA, COLOMBIAN COMMERCIAL
HELICOPTER SERVICE.HelitaxiLtda has a history of
involvement in drug activities. (Ref. H); SUBJ: HEROIN
TRAFFICKING ACTIVITIES. Allegedly, two Helicopters
registered to the Colombian company Helitaxi were used to
transport the chemicals to the laboratory. (Ref. I); SUBJ:
AIR INTELLIGENCE. DEA intelligence suggests that three
Russian Antonov (AN-74) troop transport/cargo jet aircraft
recently purchased by HelitaxiLtda, Bogota, Colombia might
be used to transport drugs. (Ref. J); SUBJ: AIR INTELLIGENCE.
Since Feb. 93, reports have addressed recent aircraft
acquisitions by three Colombian cartel-related air
transportation companies-- HelitaxiLtda, Aviation Total de
Colombia, and Aero Tumi in Peru, as well as speculated on
their possible illicit employment. (Ref. K); SUBJ: NARCOTICS
TRAFFICKER LEONIDAS VARGAS VARGAS.Aerocafe S.A. is owned by
Leonidas Vargas Vargas. Aircraft seized at El Dorado
International Airport, Bogota, Colombia, was purchased in
September 1992 by Colombian company HelitaxiLtda on
Aerocafe's behalf. The owner of Helitaxi, Byron Lopez, owns
property in the same area as Nelson Fabio. In 1991, Helitaxi
possibly sold an aircraft to Aerocafe S.A. (Ref. L); SUBJ:
RUSSIAN MADE HELICOPTERS IN COLOMBIA. Past (DEA) reporting
indicatedHelitaxi possibly may have been involved in drug
smuggling. (Ref. M); SUBJ: SOURCE LISTS MONEY LAUNDERERS AND
FRONT MEN. Carlos Alberto Plata Gomez, an oil industry
analyst, gave the names of other frontmen and money
launderers: -- Byron Lopez Salazar; owner of Helitaxi, a
company that rents the services of helicopters. Plata
described Lopez as the biggest money launderer in Colombia,
laundering money up to USD five billion for the cartel, many
othernarco groups (including the remnants of the Medellin
cartel), and emerald miners/dealers. Plata said Lopez is a
frontman for Fabio Villegas. --Uto Saenz, money launderer
from Pereira who works with Byron Lopez. --Jesus Guerrero;
big money launderer, owner of Servientrega delivery service,
works with Byron Lopez. --Eduardo Escobar; drug trafficker,
associate and friend of Byron Lopez. (Ref. N); SUBJ: ALLEGED
CORRUPTION WITH TIES TO THE PRESIDENCY RELATED TO AVIATION
REPAIR PARTS CONTRACT. Byron Lopez, owner of Vertical de
Aviacion, is the son-in-law of former Colombian president and
current Secretary General of the OAS, Cesar Gaviria. As
early as 1977, Byron Lopez and his former company Helitaxi
have been under suspicion by the DEA for alleged
narcotrafficking, illicit production of narcotics and money
laundering. In 1986, DEA requested a FAA watch on a aircraft
owned by Lopez for suspicious activity and possible
transportation of narcotics. In March 1991, he was alleged
to have established ties with the Medellin drug cartel. In
1994, Lopez drew the attention of the FBI which had Lopez
under suspicion for alleged narcotrafficking and money
laundering with known narcotraffickers. (Ref. O); SUBJ:
COLOMBIAN MI-17 UPGRADES. Vertical de Aviacionis leasing
MI-17s to Colombian government in fight against drugs.
Vertical de Aviacion has 400 employees of which 60 are
Russian. (Ref. P)
¶7. (U) ACTION: PM/DTCC requests post's assessment of Ref.
A-B and E-O in regards to its accuracy, credibility, and
currency. Please seek assistance of all relevant country
team personnel to review/assess this information.
¶8. (U) Post is also requested to contact Vertical de
Aviacion. The U.S. Department of State DDTC Statement of
Registration brokering application for Vertical de Aviacion
Ltda identifies Fernando Jose Lopez as CEO of the company.
Lopez signed the brokering application on 01/30/2009.
Completed application forms are legal documents. Lopez's
signature on the form attested to the "Truth of All
Statements Made Herein Under Penalty According to Federal
Law". One required question on the brokering application
asked if the Registrant (Vertical de AviacionLtda) is Owned
And/Or Controlled By Foreign Persons. No response was
provided to this question. In fact, Dun & Bradstreet, and
other sources show that Vertical de AviacionLtda is a
subsidiary of Icaro International Services S.A. of Panama.
Icaro International Services owns 80% of Vertical de
Aviacion. Thus Fernando Jose Lopez/Vertical de Aviacion is
potentially in violation of USG federal law. Request
Vertical de Aviacion to provide complete street and mailing
address information for Icaro International Services S.A.,
including phone numbers, points of contact, Panama
identification and registration numbers. The government of
Panama agency and/or commercial/legal office for establishing
offshore companies that maintains Icaro International
Services' registration records should also be identified,
including complete address and contact information. Vertical
deAviacion should also provide date of registration, i.e.,
whenIcaro International Services S.A. was established, and
ownership data (name and address of all public and private
persons or other entities who own or control any part of
Icaro). Lastly, Vertical de Aviacion should identify all
other companies, businesses, or entities that are partly or
fully owned by Icaro International Services S.A.
¶9. (U) Additionally, Ref. P and other sources indicate that
Vertical de AviacionLtda employs a significant number of
Russian foreign nationals. According to the International
Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) Parts 124.8 and 125.1,
technical data or services exported pursuant to a licensed
agreement may not be transferred or disclosed to foreign
nationals of another country (other than the country of
ultimate destination) without prior written approval of DDTC.
Ref. D furthermore states that Vertical de Aviacion is
interested in importing NVGs, a particularly sensitive
technology. Due to these ITAR requirements and the potential
risk of diversion of sensitive technology, please request
that Vertical de Aviacion provide the full names and
identification numbers of all the Russian foreign nationals
currently employed by Vertical de Aviacion and any of its
co-located companies. END ACTION.
¶10. (U) License Information:
A) DDTC Case Number TAA 0361-04F
LICENSE VALUE: USD 330,000,000.00
APPLICANT:
DynCorp International LLC
3190 Fairview Park Drive
Falls Church, Virginia 20242 USA
FOREIGN CONSIGNEE:
Vertical de AviacionLtda
Nueva Zona de Aviacion General
Hangar 19 ViaCatam
Aeropuerto Internacional El Dorado
Bogota, DC
COLOMBIA
FOREIGN END USER:
Government of Colombia
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE:
General aircraft repair.
B) DDTC Case Number TAA 4140-08D
LICENSE VALUE: USD 9,700,000.00
APPLICANT:
Aria International Holdings Inc.
4821 29th Street North
Arlington, Virginia 22207 USA
FOREIGN CONSIGNEE:
Vertical de AviacionLtda
Nueva Zona deAviacion General
Hangar 19 ViaCatam
Aeropuerto Internacional El Dorado
Bogota, DC
COLOMBIA
FOREIGN END USER:
Royal Thai Army
RatchadamnoenNok Road, Bangkok
THAILAND
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE:
Install three camera systems on RTA helicopters and prepare
three additional aircraft so that the cameras can be swapped
out and installed on the flight line. This will require the
installation of wire harnesses and brackets for the six
helicopters.
¶11. (U) Please slug reply for PM/DTCC - BLUE LANTERN
COORDINATOR and include the words "Blue Lantern" and the DDTC
Case Numbers in the subject line. POC on this case is Peter
Sabatini, PM/DTCC, phone: 202-663-2819; email:
sabtinipj@state.sgov.gov, psabatini@state.ic.gov. The most
current Blue Lantern Guide Book is available at
http://fsi.state.gov/fsi/spas/default.asp?ID= 1588.
Department thanks Post for its assistance in this matter.
CLINTON