U.S. Military Weapons End Up in the Hands of Cartels: New York Times Revelation

"Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat 

Video translation is as follows:

The United States, under the administration of President Donald Trump, declared six Mexican cartels, including the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and the Sinaloa Cartel, as foreign terrorist organizations and has launched a campaign against drug trafficking in Latin America. 

However, the ammunition, which is acquired by these same groups, is manufactured by the U.S. military. A New York Times investigation reveals the connections between the Mexican cartels and Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, the largest manufacturer of rifle ammunition used by the U.S. Army, whose facilities are located on the outskirts of Kansas City.  

The domestic U.S. market for these cartridges is small. .50 caliber rifles typically sell for thousands of dollars, and heavy machine guns like those used in Villa Unión have an even higher price. 

The cartridges standard versions of these weapons cost between $3.00 and $4.00 each. And although they are rarely purchased in the United States, in Mexico, the cartels can easily afford them.

Members of criminal organizations with these types of weapons have shot down helicopters, assassinated government officials, fired on the police and military forces, and massacred civilians.

Source: Milenio