U.S. intelligence agencies assisted Mexican forces in tracking and targeting the cartel chief in Tapalpa, Jalisco, marking one of the most significant joint actions against organized crime in recent years.
BY PC Bureau
February 23, 2026: Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes — the feared leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) — was killed in a high-intensity Mexican military operation backed by U.S. intelligence, marking the end of one of the most extensive manhunts in modern cartel history.
Oseguera, widely known as “El Mencho,” had been carrying a $15 million bounty announced by the United States in 2018 under the Narcotics Rewards Program. The reward made him one of the most wanted drug traffickers in the world, accused of orchestrating large-scale fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine shipments into the United States.
The White House confirmed that American agencies provided intelligence support to Mexican authorities during the operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco — a region long considered a CJNG stronghold.
The United States provided intelligence support to the Mexican government in order to assist with an operation in Talpalpa, Jalisco, Mexico, in which Nemesio ‘El Mencho’ Oseguera Cervantes, an infamous drug lord and leader within the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, was eliminated.… https://t.co/iKxsAMmnLN
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) February 23, 2026
U.S. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the United States assisted Mexico in targeting Oseguera, describing him as “a top trafficker of fentanyl into our homeland.”
The Trump administration had previously designated CJNG as a foreign terrorist organization, intensifying pressure on the cartel’s leadership.
According to official statements, the operation resulted not only in El Mencho’s death but also in the killing of three additional cartel members, with others wounded and arrested.
Security analysts say the killing represents one of the most significant blows to organized crime in Mexico in years. However, they warn that CJNG remains a powerful and deeply entrenched criminal organization with a broad international footprint.
El Mencho’s death closes a violent chapter in Mexico’s drug war — but questions remain over who will now fill the power vacuum within one of the world’s most dangerous cartels.
READ: El Mencho Killed: Rise and Fall of Mexico’s Most Feared Cartel Boss
One of the Largest Bounties Ever for a Cartel Leader
The $15 million bounty placed El Mencho among the highest-value drug trafficking targets pursued by U.S. authorities. Officials said the reward was aimed at dismantling CJNG, which grew rapidly after its formation around 2009 and became one of the most powerful and violent cartels in Mexico.
The man known as “El Mencho,” one of Mexico’s most notorious cartel leaders was killed by Mexican authorities using U.S. intelligence, sources tell ABC News. https://t.co/NHTcea9M7N pic.twitter.com/2h3NC08mIx
— ABC News (@ABC) February 22, 2026
CJNG was heavily involved in the production and trafficking of fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine, with distribution networks spanning multiple continents.
Only a few cartel figures carried comparable or higher bounties. In 2022, the United States offered a $20 million reward for Rafael Caro Quintero, while longtime trafficker Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada also carried a $15 million bounty. By comparison, Sinaloa cartel chief Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán had a $5 million reward prior to his capture.
Central Figure in the Global Fentanyl Trade
U.S. authorities identified El Mencho as a key architect of fentanyl trafficking networks that fueled the opioid crisis in North America. The synthetic opioid, far more potent than heroin, has been responsible for tens of thousands of overdose deaths annually.
The reward announcement in 2018 marked the beginning of an intensified international effort to track and dismantle his cartel’s operations. His death, officials say, represents one of the most significant blows to organized narcotics trafficking in recent years, though security experts warn it could trigger violent succession battles within CJNG.
