A recent investigation has revealed that high school students and young adults in Phoenix, Arizona, are actively participating in the illegal gun trade supplying Mexican cartels.

The New York Times report, published this week, detailed interviews with four traffickers aged 16 to 19, all current or former students in west Phoenix. These individuals, who identify as part of a group called the "Chicos Phoenix," source handguns and high-caliber rifles through legal purchases where possible, thefts, and online sales via apps like WhatsApp and Telegram. They then sell the weapons almost exclusively to cartel operatives based in the United States.

One 18-year-old trafficker described starting with $700 raised from odd jobs and snack sales. An adult in the group purchased a Kalashnikov-style rifle legally and resold it for $1,200, with profits reinvested into more firearms. Participants reported earnings of $4,000 to $5,000 in a typical month. The teens store weapons at homes or hideouts until pickup by cartel contacts.

U.S. authorities note that Mexican criminal groups, particularly the Sinaloa Cartel, increasingly rely on teenagers in border states due to proximity, the presence of cartel members in the U.S., and the lure of quick cash. Federal data from ATF investigations between 2017 and 2021 showed that about one-third of identified gun traffickers were under 25, with some as young as 17 or younger.

Estimates indicate hundreds of thousands of firearms flow illegally from the U.S. to Mexico annually, fueling cartel violence. The teens expressed no loyalty to any cartel faction and operate as independent sellers motivated by profit. One stated he did not care what buyers did with the guns as long as he made money.

This network exploits America's gun laws and border dynamics, allowing cartels to arm themselves while maintaining distance from direct U.S. purchases. Law enforcement officials described the participants as disposable in the eyes of cartel leaders. The trend highlights ongoing challenges in disrupting cross-border arms trafficking amid persistent cartel activity.