Mexico’s most wanted drug trafficker Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, widely known as El Mencho, has been killed during a military operation aimed at arresting him, the defence ministry said.
El Mencho, leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), died on Sunday while being transferred to the capital after sustaining critical injuries in clashes between cartel gunmen and the army, according to officials.
The operation triggered violent retaliation by the cartel, with vehicles set on fire, highways blocked and security forces attacked across at least eight states. Four CJNG members were killed in the town of Tapalpa in Jalisco state, while three soldiers were injured.
Mexico’s defence ministry said the operation was carried out by special forces with support from the air force and National Guard, adding that armoured vehicles, heavy weapons and rocket launchers were seized. The United States Department of State had provided intelligence support for the operation.
Following the unrest, the US issued shelter-in-place advisories for its citizens in several Mexican states, including Jalisco and Tamaulipas. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo urged people to remain calm, saying normal activities were continuing in most parts of the country.
El Mencho, a former police officer, headed a vast criminal network responsible for trafficking large quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl into the United States. Washington had offered a reward of $15 million for information leading to his capture.
Gun battles and arson were reported in multiple cities, including Guadalajara, while public transport was suspended across Jalisco under a red alert. Flights to tourist hubs such as Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara were cancelled or diverted amid security concerns.
US and former Mexican officials described El Mencho as one of the most violent drug lords in modern history, saying his death marked a major blow to organised crime. Analysts said the development could strengthen cooperation between Mexico and the United States under President Donald Trump, though they warned that continued cartel violence could overshadow the government’s success.
The CJNG, which emerged in Jalisco in 2010, is considered by US authorities to rival the Sinaloa cartel and operates across much of Mexico and the United States, earning billions of dollars annually from the fentanyl trade.
With inputs from BBC