Fentanyl lord El Mencho reportedly killed in Mexico navy operation

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Main Mexican drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, often known as " El Mencho ," was killed in a navy operation Sunday morning, the nation’s Protection Division introduced, marking certainly one of Mexico’s most important blows to organized crime amid strain from President Donald Trump to accentuate the crackdown on drug cartels.

The announcement got here as authorities officers warned of clashes in Jalisco state and widespread felony exercise throughout the nation, prompting the U.S. Embassy in Mexico to situation shelter-in-place advisories for a number of states.

On Sunday, Mexican troops reportedly performed operations in Tapalpa, Jalisco, focusing on Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, a former police officer who turned the elusive chief of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), a significant provider of fentanyl to the US.

Often known as "El Mencho," Oseguera Cervantes carried a $15 million U.S. bounty and rose to energy following the arrest of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, the previous head of the Sinaloa Cartel. Over the previous 15 years, CJNG has grown from a neighborhood felony group into a worldwide trafficking group working out of its stronghold in Jalisco.

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El Mencho was killed throughout a Mexican operation in Jalisco on Feb. 22, 2026. (Drug Enforcement Administration)

"I’ve simply been knowledgeable that Mexican safety forces have killed ‘El Mencho,’ one of many bloodiest and most ruthless drug kingpins," U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau mentioned in a submit on X. "This can be a nice improvement for Mexico, the US, Latin America, and the world. The nice guys are stronger than the dangerous guys."

The Mexican Protection Division mentioned the operation was performed as a part of bilateral coordination and cooperation with the U.S., whose authorities supplied complementary intelligence that contributed to Oseguera Cervantes' seize.

White Home Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that the U.S. "supplied intelligence help to the Mexican authorities to be able to help with an operation in Talpalpa, Jalisco, Mexico, by which Nemesio ‘El Mencho’ Oseguera Cervantes, an notorious drug lord and chief throughout the Jalisco New Era Cartel, was eradicated."

"'El Mencho' was a prime goal for the Mexican and United States authorities as one of many prime traffickers of fentanyl into our homeland. Final 12 months, President Trump rightfully designated the Jalisco New Era Cartel as a International Terrorist Group — as a result of that’s precisely what it's. On this operation, three further cartel members have been killed, three have been wounded, and two have been arrested," she wrote on X.

Smoke rises into the sky over Puerto Vallarta throughout an operation focusing on cartel exercise on Feb. 22, 2026. (Obtained by Fox Information Digital)

Through the seize, the CJNG ringleader turned wounded and died en path to Mexico Metropolis, the Protection Division mentioned.

4 others have been reportedly killed on the scene of a shootout between Mexican troops and felony suspects in Jalisco, with Oseguera Cervantes amongst three further people who have been wounded and later died.

Authorities mentioned they detained two different members of the felony group and seized a variety of weaponry, together with armored autos and "rocket launchers able to downing plane and destroying armored autos."

Consequently, three members of the armed forces turned injured and are receiving therapy.

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4 others have been reportedly killed in a Jalisco shootout through the operation (Gabriel Trujillo/Reuters)

Widespread felony exercise has been reported in Jalisco, the cartel’s stronghold, in addition to in northern areas that function key border and transit corridors for the group.

The Safety Cupboard of the Authorities of Mexico famous that a number of buildings have been reportedly broken through the "violent incidents," together with roughly 20 branches of Banco del Bienestar, a state-run banking establishment.

Not less than 21 highways stay blocked, with authorities reporting that 5 have already been reopened.

Pictures confirmed quite a few roadblocks and burning autos, with darkish smoke rising into the sky, throughout the nation – ways officers say cartels typically use to gradual or block navy operations.

Pictures and movies shared with Fox Information Digital present thick, darkish smoke rising over the skyline of the vacationer metropolis of Puerto Vallarta on Mexico’s Pacific Coast in Jalisco.

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Widespread felony exercise has been reported in Jalisco, the cartel’s stronghold. (Obtained by Fox Information Digital)

"I’m watching the scenes of violence from Mexico with nice unhappiness and concern. It’s not shocking that the dangerous guys are responding with terror. However we mustn't ever lose our nerve," Landau mentioned.

The Mexican Nationwide Guard and Military models from central Mexico and states neighboring Jalisco are presently mobilizing to bolster safety, the Protection Division mentioned.

"We stay in Code Pink. We reiterate the advice to keep away from leaving your properties. The clashes are occurring in a number of federal entities," Jalisco state Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro added.

Not less than 21 highways stay barricaded. (Michelle Freyria/Reuters)

Travel warnings have been issued for Jalisco, together with Puerto Vallarta , Chapala, and Guadalajara; Tamaulipas, together with Reynosa and different municipalities; and elements of Michoacán, Guerrero, and Nuevo León.

"Because of ongoing security operations and associated street blockages and felony exercise, U.S. residents within the named places ought to shelter in place till additional discover," the U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Mexico mentioned.

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Complementary intelligence from U.S. authorities aided within the operation. (Michelle Freyria/Reuters)

The operation in opposition to Oseguera follows sustained strain from the Trump administration on President Claudia Sheinbaum’s authorities, urging Mexico to step up its combat in opposition to drug trafficking amid threats of potential U.S. intervention.