Top Mexican drug cartel leader killed

Mexico confirmed on Sunday (February 22, 2026) that soldiers killed a powerful drug cartel leader who was one of the most wanted men here and in the United States.

Nemesio Oseguera, the 59-year-old leader of the violent Jalisco New Generation Cartel, was wounded in a clash with soldiers in the town of Tapalpa and died while being flown to Mexico City, the army said in a statement.

He had a $15 million bounty on his head.

Oseguera, whose nickname was “El Mencho,” is one of the biggest Mexican drug suspects to be taken down since the capture of the founders of the Sinaloa cartel, Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman and Ismael Zambada. Both are now serving time in the United States.

Sunday’s (February 22) statement said that in addition to Mexico’s own military intelligence, the raid was carried out with “complementary information” from U.S. authorities.

It said six suspected cartel gunmen besides Oseguera were killed and three soldiers were wounded.

Two cartel suspects were arrested and a variety of weapons were seized, including rocket launchers capable of taking down airplanes and destroying armored vehicles, the statement said.

Earlier, people with guns set cars and trucks on fire in the western state of Jalisco, blocking roads in response to a security operation taking place in the region.

This technique is used to thwart police trying to move in on a high-value target.

The violence spread to the neighboring State of Michoacan, where Oseguera’s cartel also has a presence.

His cartel was formed in 2009 and became one of Mexico’s most violent drug trafficking organizations, according to the US Justice Department.

The United States has classified the Jalisco cartel as a terrorist organization and accuses it of sending cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl into the United States.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau welcomed the operation and called Oseguera “one of the bloodiest and most ruthless drug kingpins.”

“This is a great development for Mexico, the US, Latin America, and the world. The good guys are stronger than the bad guys,” he added.

The raid came amid pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump for Mexico to stem the flow of drugs, particularly fentanyl, into the United States.

Mr. Trump has repeatedly threatened to slap tariffs on Mexican exports, arguing the government of President Claudia Sheinbaum has not done enough to combat the drug trade.