How the fugitive with a $5 million bounty, “El Jardinero,” was arrested in Mexico: He was the successor of El Mencho and was protected by 30 vehicles and 60 armed men (videos)

Mexican peculiar forces arrested Auidias Flores, known arsenic “El Jardinero,” 1 of the apical leaders of the almighty Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), successful the occidental authorities of Nayarit, Security Minister Omar García Harfuch announced connected Monday.

Flores, a determination commandant controlling ample cartel territories on the Pacific coast, was considered a imaginable successor to Nemesio Oseguera, known arsenic “El Mencho,” who had led the cartel and was killed successful a information cognition successful February.

According to a connection from the Mexican Navy, which led the operation, information forces surrounded a hideout successful the El Mirador area, astir 20 km northbound of the tourer edifice of Puerto Vallarta, wherever Flores was protected by astir 30 pickup vehicles and much than 60 equipped men.

His escorts attempted to scatter to distract the authorities, but Flores was located portion trying to fell successful a drainage ditch. “The cognition was carried retired with surgical precision, without a azygous changeable being fired,” the Navy said.

Videos released by the information curate connected societal media amusement aerial footage of the arrest, with helicopters flying implicit the area. The cognition followed 19 months of surveillance and progressive much than 500 soldiers, six helicopters, and respective aircraft.

After his arrest, riots and unrest broke retired successful Nayarit, including roadworthy blockades, vandalism, and exchanges of gunfire, authorities said.

The United States participated successful the cognition and had offered a $5 cardinal reward for his capture. According to a information official, U.S. intelligence, including aerial surveillance, was used.

It has not been clarified whether Flores volition beryllium tried successful Mexico, but the information curate said his extradition to the United States is being requested, wherever helium is wanted.

Later the aforesaid day, authorities besides arrested César Alejandro N., known arsenic “El Güero Conta,” allegedly Flores’ cardinal wealth launderer and trafficker.

A erstwhile DEA authoritative said Flores’ apprehension could person an adjacent greater interaction connected the cartel than the sidesplitting of El Mencho.

Flores reportedly played a cardinal relation successful cartel operations, controlling cause labs, smuggling routes, and organisation networks successful the United States.

Mexico has intensified information operations nether unit from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly threatened unilateral subject enactment if cartels are not sufficiently targeted.

The U.S. ambassador to Mexico called the apprehension a important measurement successful the combat against fentanyl trafficking and violence.

The lawsuit comes astatine a clip of heightened planetary scrutiny of information successful Mexico up of the upcoming FIFA World Cup, which the state volition co-host with the United States and Canada.