The killing of Mexican drug lord El Mencho: How it unfolded

EXPLAINERA major cartel boss is dead. How did Mexican forces locate and kill El Mencho, the country’s most notorious drug lord?Published On 24 Feb 2026Mexican forces killed Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho”, the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (JNGC), in a high-risk operation in the western state of Jalisco on Sunday.Security forces tracked El Mencho, one of the United States’s most wanted fugitives, to a property in the mountain town of Tapalpa, central-western Mexico, after receiving intelligence linked to a close associate.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3With ‘El Mencho’ killed, what’s next for Mexico and the Jalisco cartel?list 2 of 3Schools shut, troops on streets: Mexico on alert after ‘El Mencho’ killinglist 3 of 3Residents raise alarm as violence-hit Guadalajara to host World Cup gamesend of listTroops launched a predawn raid on Sunday, triggering hours of gun battles and a wave of violence across several states.The killing marks the most significant blow against organised crime since Mexican and US authorities recaptured Joaquin Guzman, known as “El Chapo”, nearly a decade ago.Here is what we know about how the operation to capture El Mencho unfolded on Sunday.Who was El Mencho?El Mencho, 59, was believed to be a former police officer. He was from Michoacan, western Mexico, and built a vast criminal enterprise over more than 30 years.US authorities convicted him of heroin trafficking in the mid-1990s, and he served a prison sentence in the US before returning to Mexico, where he rose rapidly within the drug underworld.Around 2009, he founded the JNGC, which expanded rapidly to become one of Mexico’s most powerful and violent cartels.The group trafficked cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl to the United States and smuggled migrants northwards.It also earned notoriety for deploying military-style tactics, including armed drones and improvised explosive devices, and for launching direct assaults on security forces.A soldier stands guard by a charred vehicle after it was set on fire, in Cointzio, Michoacán state, Mexico, Sunday, February 22, 2026, following the death of the leader of Nemesio Oseguera, known as ‘El Mencho’ [AP Photo/Armando Solis]How did the operation unfold?On February 20, acting on new intelligence from an associate of one of El Mencho’s romantic partners, Mexican authorities began surrounding the site in Tapalpa where El Mencho was believed to be hiding.