On Sunday, the Mexican army launched an operation that killed El Mencho, the country’s most prominent drug lord. Following this, arson and violence erupted across the country. Mencho’s supporters have blocked highways and vandalized vehicles in retaliation. He was injured during the military operation in the city of Tlapalla. He was being airlifted to Mexico City, but he died on the way. In addition to Mencho, at least nine other criminals were killed in the operation. According to a New York Times report, El Mencho was the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). The Jalisco Cartel is notorious for manufacturing and selling drugs in Mexico, extorting money from local businesses, and terrorizing residents in various areas. This cartel has a presence in all 50 US states. The US government had placed a bounty of ₹1.36 billion (US$1.3 billion) on El Mencho. US President Trump had been pressuring Mexico to take action against El Mencho for some time. 7 photos of violence… Such violent incidents have happened before. In Mexico, when a major cartel leader has been captured or killed, violent confrontations have occurred between the government and the cartel. Often, power struggles erupt within the gang, further exacerbating the situation. Experts say that before El Mencho’s death, similar events occurred in the country during the arrest of Sinaola Cartel leader El Chapo in 2016 and El Mayo in 2024. In 2019, when El Chapo’s son, Ovidio Guzmán, was captured, his henchmen held the city of Culiacán hostage for hours, forcing the government to release him. Therefore, there are still fears that the situation could worsen. This will depend on whether the Jalisco Cartel has a clear new leader. If internal fighting erupts, the bloodshed could escalate further. Trump was pressuring Mexico to take action. The Jalisco Cartel (CJNG) cartel was formed in 2009. Under the leadership of El Mencho, it became Mexico’s largest drug network. It shipped cocaine, methamphetamine, and, in recent years, synthetic drugs like fentanyl to the United States. According to a New York Times report, Mencho’s death could improve relations between Mexico and the United States. US President Trump had been pressuring Mexico to take stronger action against the cartel. Trump had warned that he might consider military action if strict measures were not taken. In February of this year, the Trump administration declared the cartel a foreign terrorist organization. The Mexican government has clearly stated that a US attack would violate the country’s sovereignty, but cooperation between the two countries has increased at the intelligence level. Drug trafficking from Mexico to the United States: Mexico is considered the stronghold of the world’s largest drug trafficking network, from where extremely dangerous drugs like cocaine, heroin, meth, and fentanyl reach the United States. According to US agencies, Mexican cartels provide the largest supply of drugs into the country. The US is the world’s largest drug market. Every year, millions of people become addicted, and drugs like fentanyl cause thousands of deaths. The US government is under constant pressure to take strict action against drug trafficking, and therefore, it keeps an eye on the cartels in Mexico. Meanwhile, cartels have become so powerful in Mexico that they challenge the police and government in many areas. Armed gangs, intimidation, corruption, and violence often make even local authorities ineffective. Many cartels operate as shadow governments. Trump has also threatened to eliminate drug cartels. Following the crackdown on Venezuela, President Donald Trump threatened that his administration would soon launch an operation targeting drug cartels on the ground. In an interview with Fox News, Trump claimed that drug cartels control Mexico and are causing the deaths of 250,000 to 300,000 people in the US each year. He said that drug trafficking through the sea route has been stopped by 97%, hence action will now be taken on land. However, he did not give any further details about the plans. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has strongly responded to Trump’s statements. After Maduro’s arrest, she said that America does not own any territory. New Generation Cartel also has machine guns and tanks. According to a report by The Guardian, Mexico’s largest Sinaloa Cartel has more than 600 planes and helicopters. This number is five times more than Mexico’s largest airline Aero Mexico. Cartels are now focusing more on drones and armored vehicles. For example, Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) has groups equipped with machine guns, tanks and body armor. Overall, the cartels’ private armies, or members, were estimated to number 160,000 to 185,000 in 2022-2023, making them the fifth-largest employer in Mexico. According to a 2022 report by the Mexican Interior Ministry, the cartels possess a stockpile of assault rifles such as AK-47s and M-80s. Security agencies recover more than 20,000 assault rifles from drug cartels each year. Drug cartels are among Mexico’s highest-earning criminal groups. The Mexican government destroys weapons seized from cartels to prevent their reuse. The cartels acquire these weapons from the American mafia in exchange for drug supplies. Over the past five years, the cartels have also acquired rocket launchers, which they use to attack government reconnaissance aircraft. According to the UN World Drug Report 2025, Mexican drug cartels are now the world’s highest-earning criminal groups, earning over $12.1 billion (approximately Rs 1 lakh crore) annually. This comes primarily from the trafficking of cocaine, heroin, meth, and fentanyl. Indian Embassy issues advisory As the situation in Mexico worsens, the Indian Embassy has issued an advisory for Indian citizens living there. Indians living in the states of Jalisco (Puerto Vallarta, Chapala, Guadalajara), Tamaulipas (Reynosa), Michoacan, Guerrero, and Nuevo Leon have been advised to exercise special caution. The Embassy has appealed to citizens to stay in a safe place, avoid unnecessary movement, and stay away from crowds. They have also been asked to inform family and friends of their status. In case of emergency, it is advised to contact 911 and for assistance, contact the Indian Embassy on +52-55-4847-7539. At present, the operation of security forces is going on in the affected areas and the situation remains tense. ————————- Read this news also… Youth trying to enter Trump’s resort shot dead: Security personnel shot a youth trying to enter US President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort with a gun and a fuel can. He died on the spot. The incident took place at 1:30 am local time on Sunday midnight. Read the full news…
