'El Mencho' was deported from US multiple times before he became cartel power figure

Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, besides known arsenic "El Mencho," was arrested and deported from the U.S. aggregate times decades earlier helium became Mexico's most-wanted cause cartel leader.

Cervantes' transgression enactment dates backmost to erstwhile helium was conscionable 19 years aged connected the streets of San Francisco, according to a 2019 study by The Courier Journal that cited tribunal records and interviews with some U.S. and Mexican officials. 

The San Francisco Police Department arrested Cervantes successful 1986 for trying to merchantability crystal meth. That's erstwhile helium was deported the archetypal time. Three years later, Cervantes was backmost successful the U.S. and arrested again, starring to a 2nd deportation.

In 1992, Cervantes and his member were arrested for selling heroin to undercover officers and landed successful national prison. After a fewer years, helium was retired and deported erstwhile again, the Courier Journal reported.

The State Department declared El Mencho deceased connected Tuesday. (State Department)

Mencho past worked his mode up successful the Milenio cartel aft a little stint moving for the Mexican State Police, according to a Rolling Stone profile. He divided from the cartel successful 2009 and started his ain group, the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG).

Mencho ran that enactment until his sidesplitting astatine the hands of Mexican constabulary this weekend. He had a $15 cardinal bounty connected his caput astatine the clip of his death, according to the State Department.

El Mencho was detained during a Mexican cognition successful Jalisco Sunday. (Drug Enforcement Administration)

TOURISTS TRAPPED IN PUERTO VALLARTA RECOUNT CARTEL RETALIATION AFTER EL MENCHO KILLED

The operation, carried retired by Mexican forces with U.S. quality support, underscores deepening coordination betwixt the 2 governments arsenic fentanyl trafficking remains a cardinal governmental and information contented successful the United States.

U.S. authorities steadily accrued the reward for accusation starring to his capture, astatine 1 constituent offering up to $15 million, placing him among the astir wanted fugitives globally.

Former DEA authoritative Paul Craine erstwhile described Oseguera arsenic "public force No. 1" and said helium commanded an "army of thousands."

Smoke billows from burning vehicles amid a question of unit successful effect to the decease of El Mencho, successful Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Feb. 22, 2026. (Screen drawback obtained from a societal media video. @morelifediares via Instagram/Youtube/via Reuters)

Authorities person linked him to coordinated attacks connected Mexican information forces, including a 2015 battle successful Jalisco successful which cartel gunmen utilized rocket-propelled grenades to bring down a subject helicopter.

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Over time, CJNG gained a estimation for projecting spot done nationalist displays of unit and societal media messaging, reinforcing its presumption arsenic 1 of Mexico’s astir feared transgression organizations.

Fox News' Greg Wehner contributed to this report.

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