Fentanyl kingpin El Mencho has reportedly been killed in a Mexican military operation
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Mexico’s narcotics minister Nemesio Oseguera, known as “El Mencho,” was killed in a military operation Sunday morning, the country’s Defense Ministry announced, marking one of Mexico’s most significant blows to organized crime amid pressure from President Donald Trump to step up the fight against drug cartels.
The announcement came as government officials warned of conflict in Jalisco state and rampant criminal activity across the country, prompting the US Embassy in Mexico to issue shelter-in-place advisories in several states.
On Sunday, the Mexican military reportedly carried out operations in Tapalpa, Jalisco, targeting Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, a former police officer who became the unknown leader of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), a major supplier of fentanyl to the United States.
Known as “El Mencho,” Oseguera Cervantes managed 15 million US dollars and took control following the arrest of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, former head of the Sinaloa Cartel. Over the past 15 years, the CJNG has grown from a local criminal group to a global smuggling organization operating out of its base in Jalisco.
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El Mencho was killed during a Mexican operation in Jalisco on Feb. 22, 2026. (Drug Management)
“I was recently informed that the Mexican security forces killed ‘El Mencho,’ one of the bloodiest and most brutal drug lords,” US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said on the X website. “This is a huge development for Mexico, the US, Latin America, and the world. Good people are stronger than bad.”
Mexico’s Ministry of Defense said the operation was carried out as part of coordination and cooperation with the US, whose authorities provided the relevant intelligence involved in the capture of Oseguera Cervantes.
During the kidnapping, the CJNG leader was wounded and died on his way to Mexico City, the Defense Ministry said.
Smoke rises into the sky over Puerto Vallarta during a cartel-targeted operation on Feb. 22, 2026. (Sourced by Fox News Digital)
Four others were reportedly killed at the scene of a shootout between Mexican soldiers and suspected criminals in Jalisco, with Oseguera Cervantes among three more people who were injured and later died.
Authorities said they arrested two other members of the gang and seized a large number of weapons, including armored vehicles and “rocket launchers capable of shooting down planes and destroying armored vehicles.”
As a result, three members of the army were injured and are undergoing treatment.
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It is reported that four others died in a shootout in Jalisco during the campaign (Gabriel Trujillo/Reuters)
Widespread criminal activities were reported in Jalisco, which is the company’s stronghold, and in the northern regions that serve as important borders and transportation routes for the organization.
The Mexican Government’s Security Cabinet noted that several buildings were reported damaged during the “violent incidents,” including nearly 20 branches of the Banco del Bienestar, the state-owned banking institution.
At least 21 freeways remain closed, and authorities report that five have reopened.
Images showed dozens of roadblocks and burning vehicles, with black smoke billowing into the sky, across the country – a strategy officials say the cartels often use to slow down or block military operations.
Photos and videos shared with Fox News Digital show thick, black smoke rising into the sky above the tourist town of Puerto Vallarta on Mexico’s Pacific coast in Jalisco.
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Widespread criminal activity has been reported in Jalisco, which is the group’s base. (Sourced by Fox News Digital)
“I watch the scenes of violence from Mexico with great sadness and concern. It is not surprising that bad people react with fear. But we must never lose our strength,” said Landau.
The Mexican National Guard and Army unit from central Mexico and the neighboring country of Jalisco are currently busy strengthening security, the Ministry of Defense said.
“We are still in Code Red. We reiterate the recommendation to avoid leaving your homes. Conflicts are occurring in several parts of the state,” said Jalisco State Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro.
At least 21 freeways remain closed. (Michelle Freyria/Reuters)
Travel warnings have been issued for Jalisco, including Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Guadalajara; Tamaulipas, including Reynosa and other municipalities; and parts of Michoacán, Guerrero, and Nuevo León.
“Due to ongoing security operations and roadblocks and criminal activity, US citizens in the designated areas should be sheltered until further notice,” the US Embassy & Consulates in Mexico said.
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Complementary intelligence from US authorities assisted in this mission. (Michelle Freyria/Reuters)
The campaign against Oseguera follows continued pressure from the Trump administration on President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration, urging Mexico to step up its fight against drug trafficking amid threats of US intervention.
