Narcotics expert reveals slain drug kingpin El Mencho's deadly impact on Americans

A erstwhile U.S. narcotics authoritative says the narco-terrorist person killed by Mexican authorities connected Sunday oversaw a cartel liable for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans.

Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known arsenic "El Mencho," was killed connected Sunday wrong his location by Mexican authorities arsenic they tried to seizure him, which was aided by U.S. intelligence. El Mencho was the person of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

The cartel violently responded to his death, mounting vehicles connected occurrence and placing roadblocks passim Guadalajara, which is the superior of Jalisco state. Guadalajara was astir unopen down connected Sunday arsenic unit gripped the city, with the city's planetary airdrome lone operating astatine a constricted capacity.

The U.S. State Department was offering up to $15 cardinal for accusation starring to an apprehension and/or condemnation of El Mencho, stating helium was "one of the astir wanted fugitives successful Mexico."

A autobus acceptable connected occurrence by organized transgression groups successful Zapopan, authorities of Jalisco, Mexico, connected February 22, 2026. (Ulises Ruiz / AFP via Getty Images)

According to the State Department, CJNG has "the highest cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine trafficking capableness successful Mexico." El Mencho has been indicted respective times and was charged successful the U.S. with conspiracy and organisation of a controlled substance (methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl) for purposes of unlawful importation into the United States and usage of a firearm during and successful narration to cause trafficking crimes.

Robert Charles, erstwhile adjunct Secretary of State astatine the U.S. State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs and Maine gubernatorial candidate, told Fox News Digital it's not a agelong to accidental that the CJNG is liable for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans owed to cause overdoses.

"This peculiar cartel is precise violent, and they scope to each 1 of the 50 states successful the United States," Charles said. "So what we person to recognize is, you know, we don't similar the verbiage of warfare erstwhile we speech astir managing cause violence. But astatine extremity of day, it is cause violence, and 1 of the things it reinforces to america is we indispensable enactment instrumentality enforcement."

CARTELS OUTGUN POLICE: ROCKET LAUNCHERS SEIZED IN EL MENCHO RAID SPOTLIGHT CJNG FIREPOWER

Smoke billows from burning vehicles amid a question of unit aft cause lord Nemesio Oseguera, known arsenic El Mencho, was killed, successful Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico, Feb. 22, 2026. (@morelifediares via Instagram/Youtube/via Reuters)

Charles said it's apt America volition spot "ripple effects" of El Mencho's death.

While determination isn't an estimation of however galore drugs are trafficked into America by the CJNG connected an yearly basis, idiosyncratic seizures by the authorities overgarment a representation of however overmuch merchandise they're moving into the U.S.

In September 2025, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration seized 92.4 kilograms of fentanyl powder, 1,157,672 counterfeit pills, 6,062 kilograms of methamphetamine, 22,842 kilograms of cocaine and 33 kilograms of heroin from the CJNG.

The cartel's past of unit against Americans does not lone stem from its wide cause trafficking network.

According to the New York Post, Isabel Ashanti Gomez, 22, was riding with her dada successful his Ford F-150 successful June 2025 erstwhile helium tried to clang done a obstruction believed to person been acceptable up by the CJNG.

ALLEGED SINALOA CARTEL FENTANYL PRODUCER CHARGED IN NEWLY UNSEALED US FEDERAL INDICTMENT

El Mencho was killed during a Mexican cognition connected Sunday. (Drug Enforcement Administration)

Believing a rival pack subordinate was driving the pickup truck, cartel members opened occurrence and killed Gomez.

Hours earlier she was killed, Gomez posted a day connection to her uncle connected societal media.

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A worker stands defender by a charred conveyance aft it was acceptable connected occurrence successful Cointzio, Michoacán state, Mexico, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, aft the decease of the person of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known arsenic El Mencho.  (Armando Solis/AP Photo)

"I anticipation you support celebrating galore much birthdays. See you later, aft I’ve had a shower," Gomez wrote.

After El Mencho was killed connected Sunday, the U.S. embassy successful Mexico told U.S. citizens successful Jalisco state to structure successful spot owed to "ongoing information operations and related roadworthy blockages and transgression activity."

Fox News' Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.

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