A journalistic investigation reveals flaws in the control of .50 caliber bullets manufactured for the US Army
High-powered ammunition originally manufactured for the United States Army has ended up in the hands of organized crime groups in Mexico, according to an investigation by The New York Times, which documents how military-grade .50 caliber bullets have been recovered in scenes of violence linked to drug trafficking.
The report indicates that the cartridges were produced at a US military plant located in Lake City, Missouri, a key facility in the manufacture of ammunition for the Armed Forces. However, part of this production has left official circuits and has crossed the border into Mexico, where it has been used in confrontations against authorities and in high-impact attacks.
The .50 caliber bullets, designed to pierce light armor and with a considerable lethal range, have been found in different seizures made by Mexican security forces. In several cases, the recovered casings retain marks that allow their origin to be traced to US military installations, which has raised alarms about the chain of custody of this type of weaponry.
According to data cited in the investigation, tens of thousands of cartridges of this caliber have been seized in border regions since 2012, and a significant proportion come from the same manufacturing plant. Specialists consulted warn that the availability of military ammunition in the US civilian market, added to limited controls on its sale and distribution, facilitates its diversion into smuggling networks.
