Mexican drug lord 'El Mencho' killed in military operation, official says

Sunday, 22 February 2026 18:29

Mexican drug lord "El Mencho" has been killed in a military operation, an official has said.

The leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, whose real name is Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, died on Sunday, the Associated Press reported.

An official, who requested anonymity because they were not authorised to speak publicly, told the news agency the military operation was carried out in the western state of Jalisco.

It followed several hours of roadblocks with burning vehicles in Jalisco and other states. Such tactics are commonly used by the cartels to block military operations.

Videos posted on social media showed plumes of smoke billowing over Puerto Vallarta, a major city in Jalisco, and people running through the airport of the state's capital in panic.

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The US State Department had offered a reward of up to $15m for information leading to the arrest of El Mencho.

The Jalisco New Generation Cartel is one of the most powerful and fastest-growing criminal organisations in Mexico.

In February, the Trump administration designated the cartel as a foreign terrorist organisation.

The cartel carried out a daring assassination attempt in 2020, with grenades and high-powered rifles, in the heart of Mexico City against the then head of the capital's police force, who is now head of federal security.

The DEA considers it to be as powerful as the Sinaloa cartel, one of Mexico's most notorious criminal groups.

It has a presence in all 50 US states, where it distributes tonnes of drugs.

The cartel is one of the leading suppliers of cocaine to the US market.

Like the Sinaloa cartel, it earns billions from the production of methamphetamines and fentanyl.

Sky News

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