Seeing Yusuf so forthright, Song Heping no longer held back.
"Actually, the situation is like this... Our company just received a security order for a big oil field, and this return to Baghdad is to sign the contract and recruit about 100-200 local rcenaries, maybe even more..."
"Recruiting so many employees at once, I need a large amount of individual soldier equipnt, so when I heard that you had just confiscated a batch of military arms, I asked about their whereabouts."
"Those military arms..."
Yusuf rembered what Song Heping had asked him in the SUV that afternoon.
At this point, he understood why Song Heping had asked that.
"Generally speaking, any secret arms depots found within Illiguo by the coalition forces or ICDC or ISF troops, or properties belonging to Sadam, will be handed over to us for unified managent and then cataloged and stored as Illiguo's assets," Yusuf said, while taking a couple of puffs from a water pipe.
"Military arms and equipnt are all used to arm the new armies organized by the Temporary Managent Committee, such as the ICDC or the ISF Special Forces. Most of the ICDC troops are equipped with Soviet provisions from our side, while the majority of the ISF Special Forces are equipped with better Western armants provided by the US Army, so that's where the weapons go."
Soviet made?
That's not bad at all!
Plus, Soviet-made is cheap.
Song Heping asked, "Could you sell so? After all, you know, although there are legally operating arms shops in the Green Zone, they are mostly monopolized by big companies, and buying firearms and ammunition requires going through procedures and obtaining permits, and bulk purchases also require approval from the United Security Council.
I'm in urgent need, I only have a few days, so I was hoping you could help..."
Yusuf squinted his eyes and thought for a while, and when he spoke again, his tone had sowhat softened, "Mainly, these military arms are not under my sole managent, besides they are also assets of the Temporary Managent Committee, not to be sold directly.
If you can get approval docunts from the military, similar to Blackwater International and AAFES, then they could purchase firearms and ammunition from us."
"Are you saying that the firearms sold in Harvey's shop also co from you?"
"Yes. A large part is supplied by us," Yusuf replied frankly. "Otherwise, where do you think they get their continuous supply of goods?"
"By the way, how much do they pay for each gun there? Like a brand-new AK47, or an AKM."
Suddenly interested in the prices, Song Heping wanted to know how much AAFES was marking up the prices.
"Assault rifles are sold in bulk, for example if you buy a minimum of a thousand, AK assault rifles are $50 each, AKM being a bit more expensive, costs $100 each."
Yusuf's quoted prices made Song Heping lose his composure.
"Fuck!"
He exclaid.
In Harvey's shop, a regular second-hand AK assault rifle goes for $150, while the Romanian-made AKM he had previously bought from that crooked Harvey cost him $400.
Thinking about it was painful!
He had figured there must have been a markup.
But he hadn't expected the markup to be so outrageous!
It seems wholesale and retail are indeed different matters.
The profits from arms dealing are indeed no less than those from trafficking drugs!
Song Heping suddenly had a bold idea, thinking of a way to get rich.
However, he also knew that now was not the ti to act.
To bring this wealth-building plan to fruition, he first had to deal with the fat man in front of him.
"By the way, Yusuf. How much for one mortar, and how much for one piece of ammunition, I'm talking ordinary high explosive rounds."
He rembered the several Soviet-made 120mm mortars he had bought just a few days ago, that kind of outdated stuff.
Obviously, those definitely weren't shipped over from the US mainland by AAFES.
Initially, he had wondered where AAFES got so many Soviet-made supplies.
It turned out, they were taken from Sadam!
"Depends on the caliber," Yusuf said. "For example, a 60mm mortar here costs $600 each, and 120mm is more expensive, that one is $1000 each. The high explosive rounds you ntioned, $100 each for 60mm and $200 each for 120mm."
"Fuck!"
Song Heping exclaid again.
Yusuf curiously asked, "What does 'fuck' an?"
He didn't understand Mandarin.
Song Heping didn't know how to explain properly, so he fudged, "It's just my way of expressing my surprise."
He then quickly returned to the subject, "Yusuf, you should go check out the price they sell mortars for in Harvey's shop."
Yusuf said, "I know. They dare to sell the 120mm for $10,000 each. It's public knowledge."
"You all know?" Song Heping said. "And you don't raise the price?"
Yusuf helplessly spread his hands, "Boss Song, these matters are not sothing us underlings can influence. They are all Country M people, having privileges here. You think about AAFES, how much of the coalition's logistical work they contract? They are their own people, whereas our high-ups in the Temporary Managent Committee, who doesn't have to listen to them?
We don't set those prices, the Aricans do."
Song Heping suddenly understood.
His mind turned, and he grinned cheekily, "Brother Yusuf, speak frankly, let's make a deal that seems profitable—what if I directly buy military arms from you and add 20% to every piece of equipnt over the Aricans' wholesale price?"
"20%?" Yusuf hesitated.
"30%."
"This is not sothing I can handle alone."
"40%!"
"This..."
"50%, any more and I might as well buy from that crooked Harvey," Song Heping said.
"Alright! Leave this matter to ! Rest assured, my brother, I'll make sure it's handled!"
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