India, February 24 (HBTV): Surveillance of a romantic partner helped Mexican armed forces track down Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, the notorious leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel known as ‘El Mencho’, who was captured and killed Sunday, authorities said Monday.
Mexican Defense Secretary Gen. Ricardo Trevilla said the special forces operation, which included U.S. intelligence support, ended when troops found Oseguera Cervantes ‘hidden in the undergrowth’ in his home state of Jalisco. After several shootouts, eight gunmen were killed and the drug lord and two of his bodyguards were wounded. They were taken into custody and died while being transported to Mexico City, Trevilla said.
In total, more than 70 people were killed during the operation and subsequent violence, including security personnel, suspected cartel members and others.
According to Mexican authorities, both Mexico and the United States had spent years pursuing Oseguera Cervantes, who faced multiple arrest warrants for organised crime and drug trafficking in both countries.
Trevilla said military investigators identified and began following a trusted associate of one of Oseguera Cervantes’ romantic partners. The associate escorted the woman to Tapalpa, Jalisco, on Friday for a meeting with the cartel leader. The precise location was confirmed with ‘very important additional information’ provided by U.S. intelligence, he said.
After the woman left the following day, special forces finalised their plans, having confirmed that Oseguera Cervantes was in the area with a security detail.
Units from the Mexican army and the National Guard established a ground cordon, while six helicopters and additional special forces were positioned in neighbouring states. The Mexican Air Force provided reconnaissance and aerial support. In the pre-dawn hours of Sunday, the operation was launched after his presence was reconfirmed. President Claudia Sheinbaum was kept informed throughout the mission while on a tour of northern Mexico.
Gen. Trevilla described the cartel’s response as extremely violent. During the confrontation, ‘El Mencho’ attempted to flee with two bodyguards while a heavily armed group stayed behind to delay the military advance. The death toll at the scene rose to eight, four more than initially reported.
Authorities said two rocket launchers were seized, including one identical to the model used by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel in 2015 to shoot down a military helicopter, an attack that underscored the group’s willingness to confront Mexican forces with heavy weaponry.
Oseguera Cervantes sought cover in a wooded area with cabins on the outskirts of Tapalpa. Although the gunmen were armed with rocket launchers, they did not deploy them. Special forces later located him ‘hiding in the undergrowth’, leading to another intense exchange of fire in which he and two bodyguards were wounded.
A military helicopter made an emergency landing after being struck by gunfire, and two individuals were arrested at the scene. Three soldiers were injured in the operation.
After the area was secured, Oseguera Cervantes and his bodyguards were airlifted for emergency medical treatment but died en route. Trevilla said they were already in ‘critical condition’. The flight was redirected to Mexico City instead of the Jalisco state capital to prevent potential retaliation by the criminal organisation.
(Associated Press)