Surveillance of a romantic companion helped put the Mexican armed forces on the path of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, the infamous chief of the Jalisco New Era Cartel referred to as “El Mencho,” who was captured and killed Sunday, Mexican authorities mentioned Monday.
Mexican Protection Secretary Gen. Ricardo Trevilla mentioned that Sunday’s Mexican particular forces operation, which included U.S. intelligence data, ended when particular forces discovered Oseguera Cervantes “hidden within the undergrowth” in his house state of Jalisco. After a number of shootouts, eight gunmen have been killed and the drug lord and two of his bodyguards have been wounded. They have been taken into custody and died on the best way to Mexico Metropolis, Trevilla mentioned.
In all, greater than 70 individuals have been killed within the operation and the following violence, together with safety forces, suspected cartel members and others.
Right here’s how the seize of the nation’s strongest cartel chief and one of many United States’ most needed fugitives unfolded, in line with Mexican authorities:
Following a romantic companion
Each Mexico and the USA had spent years tracking “El Mencho,” who confronted quite a few excellent arrest warrants for organized crime and drug trafficking in each nations.
This time, nonetheless, the intelligence efforts proved profitable. Trevilla famous that army investigators recognized and started following a trusted affiliate of certainly one of Oseguera Cervantes’ romantic companions. This particular person escorted the lady to Tapalpa, Jalisco, on Friday for a assembly with the drug lord. The army official defined that the precise location was confirmed by “crucial further data” offered by U.S. intelligence.
A land and air blockade
As soon as the lady left after spending the evening with “El Mencho,” particular forces finalized their plans, having confirmed he was staying within the space with a safety element.
Items from the Mexican military and the Nationwide Guard established a floor cordon, whereas six helicopters and further particular forces stood by in states bordering Jalisco.
The Mexican Air Power offered additional assist with reconnaissance and plane, Trevilla mentioned. Within the pre-dawn hours of Sunday, after his presence was confirmed, the operation started. All through the mission, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum was stored knowledgeable of each improvement whereas on a tour in northern Mexico.
A violent response
Gen. Trevilla described the criminals’ response as extraordinarily violent.
In the course of the confrontation, he mentioned “El Mencho” tried to flee with two bodyguards whereas a closely armed group remained behind to stall the army advance. The dying toll on the scene reached eight, which Trevilla famous was 4 greater than initially reported on Sunday.
Among the many seized weaponry have been two rocket launchers, together with one similar to the mannequin utilized by the CJNG in 2015 to down a army helicopter. That 2015 assault served as a grim milestone, proving the cartel was ready to satisfy the Mexican authorities with deadly, full-scale power.
‘Hiding within the undergrowth’
Oseguera Cervantes tried to take cowl in a wooded space dotted with cabins on the outskirts of Tapalpa. Though the criminals have been closely armed with rocket launchers, Trevilla famous that they didn’t handle to deploy them. Particular forces ultimately “positioned him hiding within the undergrowth,” triggering one other intense confrontation that left “El Mencho” and two of his bodyguards wounded.
In the course of the chaos, a army helicopter was pressured into an emergency touchdown after being struck by gunfire, and two people have been apprehended on the scene. Three troopers have been injured within the engagement.
Lifeless en route
As soon as the scene was secured, the cartel chief and his bodyguards have been loaded onto a helicopter for emergency transport to a close by hospital. Nonetheless, Trevilla confirmed they died en route, noting they have been already in “essential situation.”
Following their deaths, the flight plan was redirected. As a substitute of touchdown within the Jalisco state capital, the our bodies have been flown to Mexico Metropolis to preempt any violent retaliation from the prison group.
$1,000 for each soldier killed
About 100 kilometers (62 miles) west of Tapalpa, a logistics and monetary operator identified solely as “El Tuli” reportedly supplied gunmen a bounty of 20,000 pesos — over $1,000 — for each soldier killed, mentioned Trevilla.
The protection minister additionally mentioned “El Tuli” — allegedly Oseguera’s right-hand man — was the mastermind of a collection of roadblocks, arson assaults and hits on authorities installations throughout Jalisco state.
Safety Secretary Omar García Harfuch mentioned that probably the most extreme violence occurred in Jalisco, the place 25 Nationwide Guard members, a jail official, a prosecutor’s workplace worker and a presumed civilian girl have been killed, together with 30 suspected criminals.
In neighboring Michoacán, 4 extra gunmen died whereas 15 safety personnel have been wounded.
A paratrooper rifle brigade tracked down “El Tuli” and killed him in a shootout, seizing lengthy and brief firearms alongside almost $1.4 million in combined U.S. and Mexican forex. Nonetheless, retaliation from the cartel continued in a number of Mexican states.
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