One of the world’s most wanted drug traffickers, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes — widely known as “El Mencho” — has reportedly been killed by Mexican security forces.
According to Mexican media reports citing government sources, the 59-year-old cartel leader was killed on Sunday in the western state of Jalisco. There has yet to be formal confirmation from authorities.
Oseguera led the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), which in recent years has grown into Mexico’s most powerful and feared criminal organisation. Known for its extreme violence and heavily armed, military-style operations, the group commands significant territory across the country.
Although less internationally recognised than the Sinaloa Cartel once headed by the imprisoned Joaquín Guzmán, also known as “El Chapo,” the Jalisco cartel has built a formidable reputation within Mexico.
The United States had placed a $15 million (£11 million) bounty on Oseguera, accusing him of orchestrating the smuggling of large quantities of cocaine, fentanyl and methamphetamine across the border.
Reports say news of his death triggered unrest in areas under the cartel’s influence, highlighting the vast network and power he wielded across Mexico and parts of Latin America.