'Colorful Chicks': How Mexico's Drug Cartels Are Recruiting Kids As Killers, Lookouts And Spies
In a chilling reminder of the human cost of organised crime, the story of a young girl named Sol is casting new light on the growing exploitation of children by Mexican drug cartels. Sol was once a familiar face on the streets, selling roses by the roadside. She was known for the innocence in her eyes and the flowers in her hands. But that innocence was short-lived. One day, a stranger approached her, and that encounter marked the end of her childhood.
She was taken to a cartel compound. At first, her role was limited to just watching, reporting, and learning. But soon, at just 12 years old, she was ordered to kidnap a man. The mission spiraled into violence, ending in murder. It was her first task for one of Mexico's powerful drug syndicates.
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