Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, widely known as El Mencho, Mexico’s most wanted and feared drug lord, has been killed in a high-octane military raid, the Defence Ministry confirmed.
The 59-year-old CJNG leader was fatally wounded in intense clashes with special forces in Tapalpa, Jalisco State, and reportedly died on Sunday while being transported under heavy guard to Mexico City after sustaining critical injuries.
Four suspected cartel members were killed, and three soldiers injured during the operation, described as meticulously “planned and executed” with air support from the Mexican Air Force and National Guard. Armoured vehicles and a cache of high-powered weapons, including rocket launchers, were seized.
The United States provided intelligence that aided Mexican forces and had previously offered a $15 million reward for information leading to El Mencho’s capture.
Following the news, CJNG retaliated with coordinated attacks across eight states, setting vehicles ablaze, blocking highways, and targeting security forces. Smoke rose over cities including Guadalajara, one of the host cities for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, while in Puerto Vallarta, thousands of tourists were stranded as flights were canceled and transport links disrupted under a “code red” alert. The US State Department issued shelter-in-place warnings for American citizens in affected areas. President Claudia Sheinbaum urged calm, stressing that life continues normally in most parts of the country.
El Mencho, a former police officer, transformed the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) into one of the most ruthless and powerful criminal empires in Mexico, trafficking cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the United States while generating billions in revenue. Since its founding in 2010, CJNG became infamous for brazen attacks, including shooting down a military helicopter, killing dozens, and publicly displaying victims to intimidate rivals.
US authorities long considered CJNG a leading fentanyl supplier. Recent US Customs and Border Protection figures show thousands of pounds of fentanyl seized since October 2024, largely along the southwest border.
Security analysts describe El Mencho’s death as one of the most decisive blows against organised crime in modern Mexican history, a landmark operation that delivers a political and operational victory for President Sheinbaum and strengthens Mexico-US collaboration, Dip Connect Online News reports.
ELIJAH ADEYEMI
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