Over the past decade, CJNG evolved from a regional trafficking network into a structured armed organisation. Under El Mencho, the cartel expanded rapidly across several states and built strong international links, especially in synthetic drug trafficking.

Unlike older criminal gangs that operated through smaller local cells, CJNG developed a central command supported by heavily armed units. The group used military-grade rifles, homemade armoured vehicles, tactical gear similar to that used by armed forces, drones adapted to carry explosives, and improvised explosive devices.

While Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, better known as "El Mencho", Mexico's most wanted and dangerous drug lord's death comes as a relief for Mexico and the neighbouring countries, the Indian agencies, too, have much to smile about owing to this development. The narcotics racket in India is largely controlled by the Dawood Ibrahim syndicate, which has elements such as Haji Salim leading the operations.

However, in recent times, other international players have started operating in Indian waters. El Mencho's name had cropped up when the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) had seized a mammoth consignment of drugs from a fishing trawler in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on November 25, 2024. This was the first time that the agencies learnt that players from Mexico, in coordination with players from China, were part of the drug trade in India.

The latest consular information and travel advisories are immediately posted on @CanadaFP and @TravelGoC.
The Emergency Watch and Response Centre (EWRC) in Ottawa is available 24/7 and can be contacted:
• by calling: +1 613-996-8885
• by text message: +1 613-686-3658
• via… https://t.co/03g27mIdsu

— Anita Anand (@AnitaAnandMP) February 22, 2026

School was cancelled in several Mexican states and local and foreign governments alike warned their citizens to stay inside, as widespread violence erupted following the army's killing of the powerful leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

Passengers arriving to the city's international airport Sunday night were told it was operating with limited personnel because of the burst of violence.

David Mora, Mexico analyst for International Crisis Group, said the capture and outburst of violence marks a point of inflection in Sheinbaum's push to crack down on cartels and relieve US pressures.

The killing of Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes during an attempt to capture him in Jalisco state was the highest-profile blow against cartels since the recapture of former Sinaloa cartel boss Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman a decade ago.

The killing could give the government a leg up in its dealings with the U.S. Trump administration, which has been threatening tariffs or unilateral military action if Mexico does not show results in the fight against the cartels.

Mike Vigil, former chief of international operations for the Drug Enforcement Administration, said Mexico had sent "a strong message to Donald Trump's administration that they are fighting aggressively and effectively" against the most powerful cartels. He added that "the majority of the information came from the Mexican armed forces and all credit goes to Mexico."

Vigil said Mexico should seize the moment to launch "an effective frontal assault based on intelligence."

"This is a big opportunity for Mexico and the United States if they work together," he said.

Security analyst David Saucedo said that if relatives of Oseguera Cervantes take control of the cartel, the violence seen Sunday could continue. If others take power, they could be more willing to turn the page and continue operations.

Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, also known as "El Mencho," was arrested in the US, where he served time in prison for a few years before being deported back to Mexico. Once back home, Cervantes joined the police before entering the Milenio Cartel, a satellite of the Sinaloa Cartel.

Eventually, he became a top enforcer after stints as a sicario, or cartel assassin. He tried to take over the Milenio Cartel, but after failing to do so, he struck out alone and declared war on Sinaloa by founding the CJNG in alliance with a local gang of money launderers.

According to the Mexican Secretariat of National Defence, Cervantes was captured in the town of Tapalpa, a town of about 20,000, in the western coastal state of Jalisco, where his cartel was founded and based. He was wounded during a clash with soldiers and died while being transported to Mexico City for medical attention.

"During the operation, troops came under fire and killed four people at the location. Three more people, including Oseguera Cervantes, were wounded and later died," the statement said. 

After the Mexican army killed the country's most powerful cartel leader and one of the United States' most wanted fugitives on Sunday, President Donald Trump made a cryptic post on social media platform Truth Social and wrote, "We're Winning too much, it's just not fair! President DJT."

Following the killing of Mexican drug lord 'El Mencho', White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the US government provided intelligence support for the operation and said he was a top target for the Mexican and United States government as one of the top traffickers of fentanyl into our homeland.

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

I’ve just been informed that Mexican security forces have killed “El Mencho,” 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./Los buenos somos más que…

— Christopher Landau (@DeputySecState) February 22, 2026

❌ It is FALSE that members of organized crime “took over the facilities” at Guadalajara Airport
✅ The video circulating on social media does not show a takeover of facilities at the Guadalajara International Airport, Jalisco. On February 22, the airport reported that it is… https://t.co/ZWhQOA1iYf

— Embassy of Mexico in the U.S. (@EmbamexEUA) February 22, 2026

Cartels burnt vehicles in nearly a dozen Mexican states and even destroyed roads, a tactic commonly used to block military operations. Smoke billowed over the tourist city of Puerto Vallarta, while the violence quickly spread to the neighboring state of Michoacan, where the CJNG has a presence.

Oseguera Cervantes, better known as "El Mencho," was 59 years old and originally from the western state of Michoacan. His ties to organized crime went back at least three decades.

In 1994, he was tried for trafficking heroin in the US and sent to prison for three years. Upon returning to Mexico, he quickly rose through Mexico's drug trafficking underworld.

Oseguera Cervantes was facing multiple indictments in the United States and the US State Department had offered a $15 million reward for information leading to his arrest. The Trump administration designated his cartel and others foreign terrorist organizations a year ago.

It's not clear who will succeed Oseguera Cervantes, or if any one person can.

Following the killing of powerful drug lord Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera, the Indian Embassy issued advisory and advised Indian nationals in Jalisco State (areas of Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Guadalajara), Tamaulipas State (areas of  Reynosa and other municipalities), areas of Michoacan State, Guerrero State, and Nuevo Leon State to take shelter in place until further notice.

Dear all Indian nationals in Mexico:
There are ongoing security operations and related road blockages and criminal activity, Indian nationals in Jalisco State (areas of Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, and Guadalajara), Tamaulipas State (areas of Reynosa and other municipalities),…

— India in México (@IndEmbMexico) February 22, 2026

Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, also known as "El Mencho,"was born in 1966 in a poor village in the mountains of the notoriously lawless western state of Michoacan, where cultivation of opium poppies and marijuana has competed with avocado production for decades.

Oseguera was arrested in the US, where he served time in prison for a few years before being deported back to Mexico. Once back home, Oseguera joined the police before entering the Milenio Cartel, a satellite of the Sinaloa Cartel. 

A new US-military-led task force specialising in intelligence collection on drug cartels played a role in the Mexican military raid on Sunday that killed the Mexican drug lord known as 'El Mencho,' a US defense official told Reuters.

New US Military-Led Group Aided Mexico's Hunt For 'El Mencho' Cartel Boss https://t.co/rMbljsplrw pic.twitter.com/dC3Q6NyU8U

— NDTV (@ndtv) February 23, 2026

US and Canadian airlines canceled dozens of flights to parts of Mexico on Sunday as violence broke out following the killing of a major drug kingpin.

US carriers Alaska, United and Southwest, along with Canada's WestJet and Air Canada, all announced the suspension of flights to locations including Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara and Manzanillo.

Multiple Mexican football games were suspended Sunday due to an outbreak of violence in the aftermath of the army killing a top cartel leader. 

The cancelled games included the seventh round of the Clausura tournament of Mexico's Liga MX professional football league, multiple women's league matches and an international friendly match between Mexico and Iceland. 

The matches were postponed in the aftermath of Mexican officials confirming the killing of Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera, leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel, which saw retaliatory violence break out in several areas.

The US State Department on Sunday urged American citizens in Mexico to shelter in place amid violence, road blocks and flight cancellations after Mexican soldiers killed a top cartel boss.

"Due to ongoing, widespread security operations and related road blockages and criminal activity in many areas of Mexico, US citizens should shelter in place until further notice," said a statement from the department's Consular Affairs section on social media platform X. 

"Roadblocks have impacted airline operations, with some domestic and international flights canceled in both Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta," it said.