Mexican Defense Ministry Confirms 7 CJNG Fatalities, Including “El Mencho,” in Tapalpa Raid

The Mexican Ministry of Defense has provided a comprehensive and official account of the explosive military operation in the municipality of Tapalpa, Jalisco. According to a detailed statement released on Sunday, February 22, 2026, a fierce confrontation between federal forces and cartel mercenaries resulted in the deaths of seven high-ranking members of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). Among the deceased is the syndicate’s notorious founder and top leader, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, universally known by his alias, “El Mencho.”
The deadly shootout unfolded during a highly coordinated dawn raid targeting a fortified CJNG mountain stronghold. The operation was spearheaded by Mexican Special Forces, working in tandem with the National Intelligence Center and utilizing actionable intelligence provided by United States authorities under a framework of bilateral cooperation.
According to the Defense Ministry’s report, military personnel were immediately met with overwhelming hostile fire from cartel operatives upon arriving at the compound. Acting in self-defense, the troops forcefully repelled the aggression. The intense firefight neutralized the immediate threat but left four suspected CJNG mercenaries dead directly at the scene.
During the exchange of gunfire, three additional cartel members sustained severe, life-threatening injuries. The Ministry confirmed that one of these individuals was the 59-year-old kingpin, El Mencho. Federal forces secured the wounded men and rapidly initiated an emergency airlift to transport them to specialized medical facilities in Mexico City. However, all three suspects succumbed to their extensive injuries and died while in transit. Authorities noted that while they are highly confident in the identification of the cartel leader, official confirmation remains pending final forensic and DNA analysis by specialists in the capital.
The tactical fallout from the raid was significant. In addition to the seven fatalities, federal troops successfully apprehended two cartel operatives who survived the gun battle. The military also dismantled a major tactical hub, seizing a massive cache of military-grade hardware. Confiscated items included several heavily armored vehicles, high-powered assault rifles, and anti-aircraft rocket launchers capable of destroying military helicopters. Three members of the Mexican Special Forces were wounded during the aggressive operation and are currently receiving medical treatment.
The decapitation of the CJNG’s command structure marks a historic victory for both Mexican and U.S. law enforcement, who had offered a combined bounty of millions for the kingpin’s capture. However, the elimination of El Mencho has instantly triggered a furious and predictable wave of retaliatory violence across western Mexico.
The cartel, recently designated a foreign terrorist organization, immediately initiated its standard protocol for military disruption. Loyalists orchestrated fiery “narco-blockades” by hijacking and burning vehicles across Jalisco, Michoacán, and neighboring states. The resulting chaos has forced the suspension of international flights in tourist hubs like Puerto Vallarta and prompted local governments to declare a “Code Red” security alert. As the smoke clears from the initial raid, federal reinforcements are flooding into the region, bracing for a prolonged and violent power struggle within Mexico’s most dangerous criminal organization.