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By Lawrence Agbo
Following reports that security forces killed infamous cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, popularly known as ‘El Mencho’, during a military operation in Jalisco State, violence erupted throughout western Mexico on Sunday.
El Mencho, the elusive leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), was killed in a targeted operation, according to several Mexican media agencies.
Armed gangs in Jalisco barricaded major highways and set vehicles on fire shortly after the operation was made public.
This is a tactic frequently used by cartels to obstruct army movements and establish territorial control during high-value security crackdowns.
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Later, the disturbance extended to Michoacán, a nearby region where CJNG continues to have a major operational influence.
According to reports, El Mencho had been one of the most wanted drug traffickers globally, with U.S. authorities offering a $15 million reward for information leading to his capture.
The U.S. government has accused CJNG of flooding American cities with cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl, and previously designated the cartel a major transnational criminal organisation.
Since its founding in 2009, CJNG has quickly grown to rank among Mexico’s most aggressive and brutal gangs, undermining the Sinaloa cartel’s hegemony.
In 2015, during an operation against El Mencho, the group’s militants shot down a Mexican military helicopter, bringing them international attention.
