Mexican authorities reported on Sunday that Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, the leader of the Jalisco New Generation cartel and Mexico’s most wanted drug lord, was killed in a military raid in the central-western state of Jalisco.
According to the Defence Ministry, the military operation was conducted in the town of Tapalpa early in the morning. Oseguera Cervantes, alias “El Mencho,” was seriously injured in the operation and died while being transported by air to Mexico City. Several other members of the cartel were also killed, the Defence Ministry said.
The military forces seized various weapons, including rocket launchers, and several armoured vehicles, the Defence Ministry said.
Three soldiers were injured in the operation and were taken to hospitals in Mexico City for emergency care.
CJNG, Mexico’s largest and fastest-growing drug cartel, has expanded from Jalisco to maintain a near nationwide presence.
The cartel is known for its involvement in large-scale drug production and distribution, as well as violent turf wars with other cartels and security forces.
The operation has caused an immediate stir in Jalisco and other surrounding states.
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According to local news, there have been reports of burned vehicles and armed men roaming the streets in response to the operation announcement. Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro called on citizens to follow a “code red” alert and stay indoors for their own safety.
The United States State Department also issued an advisory, warning American citizens in Jalisco, Tamaulipas, Michoacán, Guerrero, and Nuevo León to take shelter and stay in secure locations.
Mexican authorities claimed that U.S. intelligence had provided crucial information for the military operation.
El Mencho had been the target of an international manhunt for several years. The U.S. government had offered a reward of $15 million for information leading to his capture, based on his involvement in major drug trafficking and organized crime.
Former U.S. ambassador to Mexico and former Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau called the news of his death “a great development for Mexico, the U.S., Latin America, and the world,” in social media posts.
The CJNG was founded in the 2010s from the leftovers of the Milenio Cartel and has since become one of the most powerful criminal organizations in Mexico.
Its rapid expansion has been attributed to the cartel’s aggressive recruitment, control of major trafficking routes, and its use of advanced weaponry and technology in turf wars with other cartels and the Mexican government.
The group is recognized for its high degree of operational sophistication, combining military-grade firepower with organized logistics infrastructure throughout the country.
Security operations against El Mencho have been in place for several years. Previous efforts to apprehend or eliminate him were documented in 2015 and 2018, but he managed to evade capture, thanks to his loyal followers in the cartel and his extensive networks in the area.
His death is the result of the culmination of several intelligence efforts by both local and international agencies, officials said.
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The Defence Ministry of Mexico labelled the Sunday operation as part of a continued effort to destroy the leadership structure of organized crime groups in the country.
The authorities said they received actionable intelligence that located El Mencho, leading to the early morning operation.
The days immediately following the operation were characterized by increased security in the Jalisco area and its environs. The local police reinforced their checkpoints, while military personnel were stationed in strategic areas to prevent any retaliatory attacks or escape attempts by members of the cartel.
Armed men were seen roaming the streets, prompting local warnings to stay indoors and remain vigilant.
The announcement coincided with broader U.S.-Mexico cooperation on drug trafficking and organized crime. Mexican officials acknowledged that intelligence sharing, including information from U.S. agencies, had been instrumental in planning the operation.
The partnership reflects years of coordinated efforts targeting transnational criminal networks that pose security risks on both sides of the border.
Experts on Mexican organized crime noted that while the death of a cartel leader can create temporary disruption, such organizations often maintain resilience through succession planning and decentralized operations.
Nevertheless, officials characterized the operation as a significant tactical success, removing the top figure from one of Mexico’s most violent and expansive criminal enterprises.
Following the military engagement, federal authorities said investigations were underway to identify and detain any remaining cartel operatives linked to the operation.
Authorities also planned to secure and catalogue all recovered armaments and vehicles, which included high-caliber firearms and military-style equipment.
El Mencho’s death is happening in the midst of a rising level of violence in different Mexican states, which is being fueled by turf wars among different cartel groups and clashes with security forces.
The Defence Ministry made it clear that operations against cartel leaders would continue and that people should report any suspicious behaviour to the relevant authorities.
The next steps in the process will be the verification of El Mencho’s death through forensic analysis and the continuation of federal investigations to break up the remaining CJNG cells.
