Opinion | Badge To Blood Empire: How A Cop Became A Cartel Boss

Dr G Shreekumar Menon

Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, alias El Mencho, 59, died in custody after being injured in the military operation by Mexican special forces, along with at least six alleged accomplices

What an amazing job transition, from a police officer to a drug lord, who led a cartel known for aggression and a military-style arsenal. Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, the police officer, transformed into the drug lord “El Mencho", and controlled a vast criminal organisation, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), responsible for trafficking huge quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the US. He was killed on 22 February 2026, Sunday, by Mexican special forces.

The CJNG is a household name in Mexico, where it is known for its displays of ultraviolence and its big, military-style arsenal. The Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion, or CJNG, as it is known in Spanish, was formed around 2010-2011 from the remnants of the Sinaloa cartel-affiliated Milenio cartel. The cartel, based in the state of Jalisco, has been one of the most aggressive in its attacks on the military—including on helicopters—and is regarded as a pioneer in launching explosives from drones and installing mines. They possessed huge amounts of money, the latest generation weapons, military-style paramilitary groups, and vehicles.

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However, El Mencho preferred to keep a very low profile. Few photographs of him exist, so tracking him was a challenging task.

But military investigators identified and began following a trusted associate of one of El Mencho’s romantic partners. This individual escorted a woman to Tapalpa, Jalisco, for a meeting with the drug lord. The exact location was confirmed by additional inputs provided by US intelligence. Once the woman left after spending the night with “El Mencho", special forces began their strike. The Joint Interagency Task Force-Counter Cartel of the USA, which specialises in intelligence collection on drug cartels, played a role in the military raid. Mike Vigil, former chief of international operations for the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), described the operation as “one of the most significant actions undertaken in the history of drug trafficking".

The US State Department had offered a $15m (£11.1m) reward for information leading to El Mencho’s capture.

Aircraft from the Mexican Air Force and the National Guard were also deployed.

Oseguera, alias El Mencho, 59, died in custody after being injured in the military operation by Mexican special forces along with at least six alleged accomplices. Four cartel members were killed at the scene, while another three died while being flown to Mexico City, among them El Mencho.

His corpse arrived in Mexico City on Sunday afternoon in a heavily guarded convoy of National Guard troops. The exact circumstances of El Mencho’s killing, which analysts called the biggest blow to Mexico’s cartels in more than a decade, remain unclear.

According to Mexico’s defence ministry, the Mexican Air Force and the Special Immediate Reaction Force of the Mexican National Guard led the operation. Mexico’s defence minister said roughly 80% of the weapons secured in the operation came from the United States.

The Secretary General of National Defense revealed that “El Mencho", was located thanks to a meeting he had in Tapalpa, Jalisco, with his romantic partner, who is apparently identified as Ms. Guadalupe Moreno Carrillo.

Authorities reported that at least 30 suspected gang members, 25 National Guard troops, and one civilian had been killed in the unrest following the operation.

The attention of intelligence agencies is now focused on his potential successor and the new leader of the Jalisco Cartel. Many successors are in line, ready to utter the phrase “Plata o plomo" (Silver or lead). This phrase perfectly encapsulates the ultimatum given by drug cartels, offering a choice between accepting a bribe (silver) or facing death (lead).

A California-born stepson of the drug lord, Juan Carlos Valencia Gonzalez, now 41, has been identified as a primary contender to lead the $20 billion criminal network. Born in Santa Ana, Orange County, in 1984, the stepson, also known by aliases, including El Pelon, Tricky Tres, and O3, holds dual American and Mexican citizenship.

Juan Carlos’s mother, Rosalinda “La Jefa" Gonzalez Valencia, was married to El Mencho and played a big role in managing the cartel’s finances. Some analysts believe she could assume leadership, but the prevailing view is that she will support her son’s rise. Juan Carlos is also listed by the National Counter Terrorism Center as the “de facto second in command" behind El Mencho.

Another notable successor could be Gonzalo Mendoza Gaytán or “El Sapo". As per the Department of Treasury, he is a Senior CJNG Member and the boss of Puerto Vallarta Plaza, and might be in contention now to be top boss.

Other notable and probable successors could be Jessica Johanna Oseguera González or “La Negra". She is El Mencho’s daughter and earlier handled some of the other businesses. However, she’s behind bars after being sentenced in 2021.

Rubén Oseguera González or “El Menchito" is yet another option. Though convicted, he is the son of El Mencho and, under his father, worked as second-in-command, so an ascension might be on the cards.

Audias Flores Silva or “El Jardinero" might also be another strong contender. He’s been described by the Treasury Department as a CJNG Regional Commander who is engaged in “drug trafficking and violent activities".

The drug trafficking game will continue with new players till, as Pablo Escobar says, “Sugar kills, salt kills, motorcycles kill like a mofo, cars kill, planes kill, whiskey kills, cigarettes kill, weed, creep weed, cocaine kills… we need to legalise it and there you’ll see the end of a very big problem."

The writer is Former Director General, Multi-Disciplinary School of Economic Intelligence, and National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes & Narcotics. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views

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