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In a dramatic twist of fate, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, infamously known as “El Mencho,” has met his end following a high-stakes capture-kill operation carried out by the Mexican Army. His reputation painted him as a vicious, violent, and ruthless leader, and his demise marks the conclusion of a notorious chapter in the world of organized crime.
El Mencho was the formidable leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), a criminal empire that raked in billions and wielded significant influence. His death has left those dedicated to dismantling cartel power contemplating its implications on drug trafficking and violence, particularly in cities like Chicago and across the United States.
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“I think it sends a strong message that the United States government isn’t tolerating the influx of these toxic drugs into the country,” remarked Michael Gannon, a former Assistant Special Agent in Charge with the DEA Chicago Division. Gannon shared his insights with ABC7’s I-Team, underscoring that El Mencho’s downfall at the hands of the Mexican military marks a pivotal move in crippling the drug trade.
He further emphasized, “The message is clear for Mexican authorities to persist in their efforts, work closely with the United States, heed U.S. intelligence, and ensure these criminals are held accountable.”
“I think the message is for the Mexican authorities to keep doing more, keep collaborating with the United States and hearing what US intelligence is out there and holding these people accountable,” he said.
According to DEA officials, another organization, the Sinaloa Cartel, was at one time responsible for funneling 80% of the illicit narcotics to Chicago’s streets.
Even with the Sinaloa’s El Chapo and two of his sons in U.S. custody and El Mencho dead, the drugs are still here with more still coming in.
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“You could see a situation where Sinaloa starts to reclaim some of its territory from CJNG here. That being said, these big cartels are not like small street gangs so these wholesalers likely won’t translate into violence here in Chicago,” explained Jake Braun, the Executive Director of the Cyber Policy Initiative at the University of Chicago.
Braun is also the former senior counselor to the Secretary of Homeland Security. He said going after drug kingpins is helpful, but only if their manufacturing and distribution networks are attacked in tandem.
“It has to be layered in with a full-on counter network approach that would go after all aspects of the cartel, including the brokers, the financiers, the transportation infrastructure,” he said.
Braun provided insight into the federal government’s strategy while he was a DHS leader tasked with reducing fentanyl deaths in 2023. He said the department approached cartels as they would an extremist network, “We need to go after the entire network, not just an individual person. You have to think kind of this is more like how we went after Al Qaeda, not Al Capone.”
Braun added there may be value in the Trump administration designating cartels as foreign terrorist organizations to break down silos between agencies within the U.S.
“The military learned a lot during the war on terror as to how to map these organizations and really attack them at every level. If they’re bringing that those capabilities and that sensibility to bear against these FTOs, then that could be quite significant, as opposed to just decapitating the big bad guy,” he said.
Braun emphasized that in narco-capitalism there are no rules, no laws, and no bail outs. It’s kill or be killed, and the potential for more violence in Mexico is real.
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