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In a significant blow to organized crime, the Mexican military successfully neutralized Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, widely known as “El Mencho,” the notorious leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, during a strategic operation on Sunday. This information was disclosed by a federal official who asked to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the matter.
The operation unfolded in the western region of Jalisco State, according to the official. The military encounter coincided with a series of disruptive roadblocks featuring blazing vehicles, a tactic often deployed by cartels to hinder military interventions.
Social media was rife with dramatic footage showing smoke rising over Puerto Vallarta, a key city in Jalisco, and scenes of chaos as people dashed through the airport in the state’s capital. The security situation prompted Air Canada to halt flights to Puerto Vallarta on Sunday afternoon, advising travelers to stay away from the airport.
In response to the escalating situation, the U.S. Embassy issued a warning to American citizens in several regions, including Jalisco State—encompassing Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Guadalajara—Tamaulipas State, Michoacan State, Guerrero State, and Nuevo Leon State, urging them to remain indoors and secure their locations.
On Sunday, the U.S. Embassy said U.S. citizens in : Jalisco State, including Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Guadalajara, Tamaulipas State, including Reynosa, areas of Michoacan State, Guerrero State, and Nuevo Leon State should shelter in place.
The U.S. State Department had offered a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest of El Mencho. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel, known as CJNG, is one of the most powerful and fastest growing criminal organizations in Mexico and was born in 2009.
In February, the Trump administration designated the cartel as a foreign terrorist organization.
It has been one of the most aggressive cartels in its attacks on the military-including helicopters-and a pioneer in launching explosives from drones and installing mines. In 2020, it carried out a spectacular assassination attempt with grenades and high-powered rifles in the heart of Mexico City against the then head of the capital’s police force and now head of federal security.
The DEA considers this cartel to be as powerful as the Sinaloa cartel, one of Mexico’s most infamous criminal groups, with a presence in all 50 US states where it distributes tons of drugs. It is one of the main suppliers of cocaine to the US market and, like the Sinaloa cartel, earns billions from the production of fentanyl and methamphetamines.
Since 2017, Oseguera Cervantes has been indicted several times in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
The most recent superseding indictment, filed on April 5, 2022, charges Oseguera Cervantes with conspiracy and distribution of controlled substances (methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl) for the purpose of illegal importation into the United States and use of firearms during and in connection with drug trafficking offenses. Oseguera Cervantes is also charged under the Drug Kingpin Enforcement Act for directing a continuing criminal enterprise.
The U.S. Embassy issued a statement on Sunday telling Americans in Puerto Vallarta to shelter in place.
“Due to ongoing, widespread security operations and related road blockages and criminal activity in many areas of Mexico, U.S. citizens should shelter in place until further notice. Roadblocks have impacted airline operations, with some domestic & int’l flights canceled in both Guadalajara & Puerto Vallarta. Taxis/ride shares are suspended in Puerto Vallarta. Seek shelter and remain in residences or hotels.”
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