'El Mencho,' who led Jalisco New Generation Cartel that supplies U.S. cocaine trade, killed by Mexican army

MEXICO CITY — The Mexican army killed the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” in an operation Sunday.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration views the Jalisco cartel as being as powerful as the Sinaloa cartel that came to prominence under its leader Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman Loera, with a presence in all 50 U.S. states, where it distributes tons of drugs.

It is one of the main suppliers of cocaine to Chicago and the rest of the United States, according to the DEA, and, like the Sinaloa cartel, makes billions from the production of fentanyl and methamphetamines.

A Mexican federal official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said El Mencho's killing happened during a military operation in the western state of Jalisco and followed several hours of roadblocks with burning vehicles in Jalisco and other states. Such tactics are commonly used by Mexico's drug cartels to block military operations.

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

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

The Jalisco New Generation Cartel is one of the most powerful and fasted growing criminal organizations in Mexico.

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

It has been one of the most aggressive cartels in its attacks on the military — including helicopters — and a pioneer in launching explosives from drones and installing mines. In 2020, it carried out a spectacular assassination attempt 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.