Notorious Cartel Leader 'El Mencho' Killed in Mexican Army Raid
The notorious leader of Mexico's Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, widely known as 'El Mencho', has been killed in a significant military operation in western Mexico. Officials confirmed his death on February 22, 2026, marking a major blow to one of the country's most feared criminal organizations.
Military Operation and Confirmation
According to local news reports, the Mexican army conducted a raid that resulted in the death of El Mencho. The Mexican publication MILENIO cited senior officials who verified that Cervantes was killed during the army operation. In response, roadblocks were reported across six neighboring states, with burning vehicles obstructing roads over a vast area—a tactic frequently employed by cartels to hinder military forces from conducting operations against them.
The Mexican army has claimed responsibility for the operation, which targeted the elusive cartel boss. This development comes as a significant achievement in Mexico's ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking and organized crime.
El Mencho's Rise to Power
El Mencho rose to become the most powerful drug lord in Mexico following the capture of Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán. Under his stewardship, the CJNG underwent rapid expansion throughout Mexico in recent years. Nemesio Oseguera, 53, left school in sixth grade to help his family harvest avocados, according to Mexican media. As a young man, he crossed illegally into the United States and attempted to establish a drug-dealing network but was subsequently arrested.
In 1992, he and his older brother, Abraham Oseguera, sold heroin to two undercover police officers and were sent to a federal prison before being deported. In 1997, he traveled to Tijuana, where he established a successful drug trafficking operation. Subsequently, he served as a police officer in Tomatlán, Jalisco, gaining insight into the workings of law enforcement.
After serving as a cartel assassin and narcotics trafficker and navigating internal power disputes between competing gang factions in Jalisco, Oseguera emerged as the head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, earning the nickname 'El Mencho'.
Brutal Tactics and US Bounty
The CJNG is known for its savage acts of brutality, including using rocket-propelled grenades to bring down an army helicopter. Allegations have been made that they force new recruits to feast on human flesh and carry out beheadings in their infamous 'terror schools'. One anonymous recruit previously stated, 'I've been there and there was a lot of [cannibalism]. They recruit them and then they start working on them.' First, CJNG members are taught how to cut off their victims' fingers and toes, one of the cartel's preferred torture methods.
The US State Department had previously offered a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to El Mencho's arrest, highlighting his status as a high-priority target in international law enforcement efforts.
This operation represents a critical moment in Mexico's fight against organized crime, with the death of El Mencho potentially disrupting the CJNG's operations and signaling a shift in the cartel landscape.
