Mexico Traces Cartel Ammunition to U.S. Army Plant

Nearly half of seized .50-caliber cartridges linked to Lake City factory, raising concerns about weapon trafficking

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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Mexico's defense secretary revealed that about 47% of the high-powered .50-caliber cartridges seized from drug cartels since 2012 were traced back to an ammunition factory owned by the U.S. government near Kansas City, Missouri. The revelation comes amid growing concerns over the flow of U.S.-made weapons and ammunition into Mexico, fueling cartel violence.

Why it matters

The discovery highlights the challenges Mexico faces in stemming the tide of American firearms and ammunition that end up in the hands of organized crime groups. It also raises questions about the U.S. government's oversight of the Lake City plant, which produces ammunition for the military but has allowed private contractors to sell to civilian markets, making the rounds accessible to cartels.

The details

According to Mexico's defense secretary, General Ricardo Trevilla Trejo, about 137,000 .50-caliber rounds have been seized from cartels since 2012, with 47% of those traced back to the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant. The plant is the largest manufacturer of rifle rounds used by the U.S. military, but has allowed private contractors to sell ammunition to distributors, resellers and retail stores, effectively making it available to the civilian market.

  • Since 2012, Mexican authorities have seized about 137,000 .50-caliber rounds from cartels.
  • In October 2024, Claudia Sheinbaum took office as the President of Mexico.
  • Since October 2024, Mexican authorities have seized 18,000 firearms, with nearly 80% coming from the United States.

The players

Ricardo Trevilla Trejo

Mexico's defense secretary who revealed the tracing of cartel ammunition to the U.S. Army plant.

Claudia Sheinbaum

The President of Mexico since October 2024, who has called for greater cooperation from the U.S. to stop the flow of American-made weapons and ammunition into Mexico.

Lake City Army Ammunition Plant

A U.S. government-owned ammunition factory outside Kansas City, Missouri, that is the largest manufacturer of rifle rounds used by the American military.

Cecilia Farfán Méndez

The director of the North American Observatory at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, who noted the irony that both the Mexican and U.S. governments want to reduce deaths caused by cartels, but criminal groups have easy access to these types of weapons and ammunition.

Luis Cresencio Sandoval

Mexico's former defense secretary, who warned that the armor used by Mexican personnel cannot protect them from the penetration of .50-caliber rounds from Lake City that have been used to attack military convoys.

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What they’re saying

“The irony is that the Mexican and U.S. governments want the same thing: to reduce deaths' caused by cartels. But as long as criminal groups have easy access to these types of calibers and weapons, it's as if they're subsidizing the generation of this violence.”

— Cecilia Farfán Méndez, Director of the North American Observatory at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (dnyuz.com)

“The armor we have cannot protect our personnel from the type of penetration this cartridge is capable of.”

— Luis Cresencio Sandoval, Former Mexico Defense Secretary (dnyuz.com)

What’s next

Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum has said her administration is reviewing the reporting on the Lake City ammunition issue and plans to discuss it with the U.S. government to understand how these weapons are entering Mexico.

The takeaway

The tracing of cartel ammunition to a U.S. government-owned plant highlights the ongoing challenges in stemming the flow of American-made weapons and ammunition into Mexico, which has fueled the violence of organized crime groups. It underscores the need for greater cooperation and oversight between the two countries to address this critical issue.