On February 22, an operation was carried out by members of the Mexican National Defense Secretariat (Defensa) to capture one of the world’s most powerful criminals: Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, alias El Mencho.
However, according to statements from the authorities themselves, intelligence provided by the United States was vital to the success of this operation, in which the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) was seriously wounded and subsequently died.
According to information from the US newspaper, The New York Times, a US surveillance drone was key in determining El Mencho’s hiding place.
The information released by the media outlet explains that the CJNG leader, who was 59 years old, wanted to see his adult daughters, which is why he had moved to a house in a gated community outside Tapalpa, taking with him a very small number of bodyguards.
Later, he invited one of his mistresses to his residence, unaware that Mexican intelligence was tracking her every move.
On Thursday, February 20, Mexican and U.S. intelligence agents reportedly observed the woman and two young children heading to a house in that community, and the following day, a U.S. surveillance drone flying over the area recorded the woman and children leaving the house.
It wasn’t clear who was inside the house until the drone’s infrared camera detected another figure leaving. The person seen in the video hugged the woman and children goodbye. Therefore, authorities determined that it was the criminal leader, since the only person who would dare to embrace El Mencho’s mistress was El Mencho himself.
The criminal leader was there. Immediately, Mexican authorities began planning an operation, and less than 48 hours later, Mexico’s most wanted man was dead.
