<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The leader of a powerful drug cartel in Central America has been killed following an operation led by Mexico's military, the government announced</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes, a former police officer, led the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, or CJNG, as it became one of the "most powerful and ruthless criminal organisations" inside Mexico, according to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Security forces from several federal branches of Mexico's military carried out the operation in the town of Tapalpa in the western state of Jalisco on Sunday (Monday AEDT).</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/maralago-shooting-us-secret-service-shoots-man-at-donald-trumps-florida-residence/46f8705e-f4dd-4894-979f-de682908e330" rel="" target="_blank" title="Gunman shot dead at Trump's Florida home of Mar-a-Lago identified"><strong><span>Gunman shot dead at Trump's Florida home of Mar-a-Lago identified</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>CJNG members traded fire with the government forces, resulting in four gang members being killed at the scene, Mexico's Secretariat of National Defence said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Osegeura and two others were seriously injured and died as they were being flown to Mexico City, according to the secretariat.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Three Mexican troops were also injured in the operation and transferred to a hospital in Mexico City for treatment.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/el-mencho-drug-lord-killed-by-mexican-military/e9e9ece4-6098-4abc-b740-1be05ef0f7d6" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The military operation triggered a series of violent events across the state of Jalisco, which is scheduled to host four matches of this year's football World Cup in June, before spreading to other states such as Michoacán and Guanajuato.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Suspected members of organised crime groups set buses on fire, blocked roads in the area, and clashed with authorities, Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/cold-case-haroula-kipouridous-police-offer-1m-reward-to-solve-1981-cold-case-sex-assault-and-murder/86276d0d-774b-479c-8759-11be01a9d7a8"><strong><span>Rare $1m offer over singer found dead in jammed lift</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Lemus said the violence has spread to at least five states and urged the public to avoid travelling on highways.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Oseguera was wanted by US authorities, who offered a bounty of up to US$15 million ($21 million) for information leading to his arrest.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The US Justice Department charged El Mencho in 2022 with leading the effort to manufacture and distribute fentanyl for importation into the US.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A Justice Department indictment of Oseguera said his organisation is active in the Mexican states of Jalisco, Colima, and Veracruz, and has a presence elsewhere.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In a post on X, US State Department Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau described Oseguera's death as a "great development for Mexico, the US, Latin America, and the world."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He added that he is watching the chaotic scenes in Mexico "with great sadness and concern."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> 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