The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of Mexico's most notorious criminal organisations, has suffered a major blow with the death of its leader, Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes, during a military operation in Jalisco. El Mencho's notoriety was global. He had long been on international wanted lists for trafficking vast quantities of drugs into the United States and orchestrating criminal operations across Mexico.
Yet, the reach of the CJNG extends far beyond its leader. The cartel's operations are deeply entrenched, with family members and trusted lieutenants often taking on major roles. In 2021, the arrest of El Mencho's wife, Rosalinda Gonzalez, exposed the financial machinery behind the cartel. Suspected of managing the CJNG's finances and concealing illicit funds, Gonzalez was considered one of the most influential figures within the organisation.
“She has all of the keys, all of the confidence of El Mencho, all of the information and was responsible for laundering the cartel's money,” said Mike Vigil, former international operations chief for the US Drug Enforcement Administration. The Mexican defence ministry described her arrest as a major setback to the cartel's money operations in the state, as per The Guardian.
The CJNG's violent streak became evident following Gonzalez's detention. Reports emerged of the cartel kidnapping several members of the Mexican Navy in an effort to pressure authorities.
The CJNG is known for brazen attacks on law enforcement, including the 2015 ambush in Jalisco that left 15 officers dead, as per the BBC.
In one high-profile incident, two navy personnel were abducted in a shopping centre in Zapopan, part of the Guadalajara metropolitan area. Their vehicle, a white Jeep, was later found abandoned.
Federal forces also launched a targeted operation in Zapopan, seeking El Mencho's daughter, Laisha Michelle Oseguera Gonzalez, and her partner, Christian Fernando Gutierrez Ochoa. Marines raided homes in affluent neighbourhoods, but neither was apprehended.
Gonzalez was released from prison in February last year. Though originally sentenced to five years, she was released early on the grounds of good behaviour.
Her release coincided with the extradition of 29 drug traffickers from Mexican prisons to the United States, including the notorious Rafael Caro Quintero.
