Mexican army captures top cartel boss in another blow to Jalisco New Generation
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The Mexican army has captured CJNG leader Audias Flores Silva aka "The Gardener," a key "El Mencho" lieutenant, dealing another blow to the powerful cartel amid ongoing violence.
The Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Mexico's most powerful criminal enterprise, suffered another blow Monday when the Mexican military captured one of its top leaders in the northwest of the country, two months after the cartel's leader was killed.
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Audias Flores Silva, also known as "El Jardinero," or "The Gardener," was seen as a possible successor to the killed leader, and the United States had a $5 million (€4.27m) reward out for information leading to his arrest.
The CJNG regional commander was captured while he was hiding in a roadside ditch near the community of El Mirador in the state of Nayarit, Mexican officials said Monday. No one was killed or injured during his arrest, according to Mexico's government.
Flores Silva, also known as "Comandante," "El Bravo 2," "Audi" or "Mata Jefes," was seen as a possible successor to Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, or "El Mencho," who was killed in a dramatic military operation in February.
The killing of "El Mencho" led to a surge of cartel violence with a wave of attacks on businesses by cartel gunmen, vehicle burnings and road blockades that killed more than 70 people, including 25 National Guard members.
RelatedDespite the violence, Oseguera Cervantes' killing was seen as a victory for Mexico's government at a time when Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is cracking down on cartels with a heavier hand than her predecessors in an effort to offset threats of intervention by US President Donald Trump.
Last year, Trump designated the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and five other Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organisations.
Flores Silva's capture marked another blow to a criminal enterprise that has quickly become one of the most powerful in the hemisphere.
According to Mexican security officials, he was the head of security for Oseguera Cervantes, and helped lead the cartel's drug production and trafficking operations in the states of Nayarit, Jalisco, Mexico State, and Zacatecas.
Local news organizations in Nayarit reported a number of cars and businesses were burned following his arrest.
The capture was praised by US Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson, who said in a post on X that Flores Silva's arrest marks an "important step" in combating those who profit from fentanyl trafficking.
"Actions like this strengthen security and help dismantle criminal networks that threaten our communities. Together, we achieve results that make our nations safer," he added.
At a young age, Flores Silva was arrested in the US, where he served a five-year sentence for drug trafficking before returning to Mexico after his release.
In 2016, he was arrested by Mexican authorities for his alleged participation in an ambush against police in Jalisco and was released three years later.
Since 2021, the US has requested Flores Silva's extradition to face charges of drug conspiracy and firearms possession.
RelatedFor Mexican security analyst David Saucedo, the arrest of Flores Silva represents a "significant blow" to the CJNG leadership, which was still in the process of reorganising after the death of its leader and founder on 22 February.
Saucedo said that criminal groups "can quickly reinvent themselves despite the arrest of their leaders," and that even when they suffer major blows, "they can continue" their criminal activities.
The US Drug Enforcement Agency has acknowledged CJNG's presence in 21 of Mexico's 32 states, surpassing the Sinaloa Cartel, which is estimated to operate in 19 states.
Some analysts believe the CJNG's presence extends to 25 states, with a stronghold in Jalisco. The cartel's operations have also spread to around 100 countries, including the US.
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