A large criminal organization’s leader often hides whereabouts, making it difficult for law enforcement agencies to find. In a military raid in Mexico on Sunday (February 22), the country’s top wanted drug lord Nemesio Oseguera was successfully killed, sparking attention. Authorities on Monday explained how they located Oseguera’s hiding place.
Oseguera is not only Mexico’s top wanted criminal but also one of the top wanted criminals in the United States. He founded the powerful “Jalisco New Generation Cartel” (CJNG) in Mexico, smuggling cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and illegal immigrants to the United States, and using drones and improvised explosive devices to carry out violent activities. The U.S. had offered a $15 million reward for his capture.
He operated discreetly, with very few photos of him available. After years of pursuit, Mexican authorities finally obtained a solid lead, leading to the military raid in the western state of Jalisco on Sunday (February 22) where Oseguera was killed.
Mexican authorities on Monday outlined the process of the military operation. On February 20, the investigation into Oseguera pinpointed a key individual who could access his hiding place. Mexican Defense Minister Ricardo Trevilla explained at a press conference on Monday that this person was a lover of Oseguera.
Trevilla said that on February 21 (Saturday), the woman left Oseguera’s hideout in Tapalpa, but intelligence indicated that Oseguera and his bodyguards were still there.
The Mexican Air Force and the National Guard’s Special Rapid Response Teams quickly began designing an operational plan to prevent the top wanted criminal from escaping.
After establishing a cordon, Mexican forces started pursuing Oseguera and clashed with his henchmen. Eight members of the drug cartel were killed on the scene, and two soldiers were injured. As the security forces closed in on Oseguera, he and his accomplices fled into a nearby forest.
“El Mencho (Oseguera’s nickname) got away, leaving behind a group of people carrying a large number of weapons. This was an extremely violent attack carried out by an organized crime group, and the military repelled the attack,” Trevilla explained. Mexican special forces found Oseguera and his henchmen in the forest. In the exchange of fire, Oseguera and others were seriously injured and subsequently captured. They died on their way to Mexico City by helicopter.
Mexican Interior Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch said at the press conference that authorities are closely monitoring the possible reactions or restructuring within the drug cartel that could lead to further violent incidents.
“We have been specially monitoring several leaders of this criminal organization,” he said.
Officials stated that the U.S. intelligence agencies assisted in pinpointing the exact location of Oseguera’s hideout, but this operation was led by the Mexican government.