'El Mencho' tracked to secret rendezvous with romantic partner before deadly raid

Mexico’s most-wanted fentanyl kingpin, " El Mencho ," was captured and killed Sunday after authorities tracked his romantic partner to a secret rendezvous location over the weekend, Mexican officials revealed Monday. The operation reportedly began Feb. 20, targeting Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho." He carried a $15 million U.S. bounty and rose to power following the arrest of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, the former head of the Sinaloa Cartel. Defense Secretary Ricardo Trevilla Trejo said during a news conference that military intelligence identified and located a trusted courier or guard connected to one of Oseguera Cervantes’s romantic partners. The associate then transported the partner to a designated cabin for an overnight meeting with "El Mencho." TOURISTS TRAPPED IN PUERTO VALLARTA RECOUNT CARTEL RETALIATION AFTER ‘EL MENCHO’ KILLED "On February 20, through central military intelligence work, a man of trust of one of El Mencho's romantic partners was located, who took her to a facility in the town of Tapalpa, Jalisco ," Trevilla Trejo said. The following day, the partner left the property, but intelligence confirmed that Oseguera Cervantes remained behind with a small security detail, prompting authorities, including Army Special Forces and the National Guard’s Immediate Reaction Force, to carry out the operation. Security forces reportedly raided the private property after aerial surveillance spotted Oseguera Cervantes’ inner circle openly carrying illegal high-caliber weapons, including rocket launchers and long guns. During the confrontation, Oseguera Cervantes’ security detail reportedly fired "very violently" on military personnel, triggering Special Forces to engage the attackers. Officials said eight criminals were killed in the initial phase — correcting earlier reports of four — and two military personnel were also wounded. CARTELS OUTGUN POLICE: ROCKET LAUNCHERS SEIZED IN EL MENCHO RAID SPOTLIGHT CJNG FIREPOWER Amid the chaos at the cabins, Oseguera Cervantes and his "close circle" fled into a nearby wooded area, officials said. After soldiers located them "hidden among the brush," cartel suspects allegedly opened fire on the troops. Military personnel then wounded "El Mencho" and two of his escorts in the shootout, according to Trevilla Trejo. Military medics determined that Oseguera Cervantes and his two escorts were in critical condition and required immediate evacuation by helicopter. Oseguera Cervantes and his two escorts ultimately died during transport, officials said. Authorities noted that 2,500 reinforcements were sent to join the 7,000 already in the state to prevent further violence in the cartel’s retaliation. Oseguera Cervantes’ capture and subsequent death marks one of Mexico’s most significant blows to drug trafficking and organized crime since President Donald Trump called for intensified crackdowns on cartel violence.