In a significant development, Mexican special forces have captured Audias Flores, famously called “El Jardinero,” who is a high-ranking leader within the formidable Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). The arrest took place in the western region of Nayarit, as announced by Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch on Monday.
Flores, who commanded extensive territories for the CJNG along Mexico’s Pacific coastline, was seen as a likely heir to Nemesio Oseguera, known as “El Mencho.” Oseguera, the previous cartel leader, met his end during a security operation in February.
The arrest unfolded when security forces descended upon a secluded cabin in El Mirador, approximately 12 miles from the bustling tourist hub of Puerto Vallarta. The cabin was heavily guarded, surrounded by about 30 pickup trucks and over 60 armed men, according to a statement from Mexico’s Navy, which spearheaded the mission.
Despite his bodyguards’ attempts to create a diversion, Flores was eventually discovered hiding in a drainage ditch, the statement further revealed.
Remarkably, the operation concluded without any gunfire, underscoring the precision with which it was executed, as detailed in the Navy’s announcement.
Omar Garcia Harfuch shared footage on social media capturing the dramatic arrest. The videos showed helicopters circling above, an integral part of an operation that was the culmination of 19 months of surveillance. The Navy reported that the mission involved over 500 troops, six helicopters, and several aircraft.
The Navy also used intelligence provided by US authorities in the successful capture, including aerial surveillance, according to a Mexican security official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
It was not immediately clear if Flores would face charges in Mexico, but Garcia Harfuch said he was wanted for extradition by US authorities, who have offered a $5 million reward for his arrest.
Later in the day, Mexican authorities announced they had arrested Cesar Alejandro N., nicknamed “El Güero Conta,” who Mexican authorities say was a key money launderer for Flores.
‘BIGGER’ THAN EL MENCHO
Carlos Olivo, a former US Drug Enforcement Administration assistant special agent in charge and a CJNG expert, said Flores was a “significant figure” and that his arrest “will have a bigger effect on CJNG operations than El Mencho being taken out.”
Flores was key to operations within the Jalisco cartel, controlling networks of drug laboratories, smuggling routes, and distribution networks within the United States, according to the Mexican security official.
Mexico has significantly stepped up its security efforts, under enormous pressure from US President Donald Trump.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to use unilateral military action in Mexico if he feels that the Mexican government is not doing enough to fight the cartels.
Last year, the Trump administration also tied tariff threats to what it considered insufficient measures to halt fentanyl trafficking and curb migration. The US, Mexico and Canada are in the process of reviewing their shared free trade pact.
Monday’s arrest of “a key leader of the violent CJNG represents a significant step forward in the fight against those who profit from fentanyl and fuel violence in our communities,” US Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson said on social media.
The US Treasury Department identified Flores as a “significant foreign narcotics trafficker” in 2021, when a US grand jury had charged him with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and heroin, among other crimes.
The arrest marks the latest blow to Mexican drug cartels after El Mencho’s killing – a personal mission for Garcia Harfuch, who blamed El Mencho for a 2020 assassination attempt that left two of his bodyguards dead.
Flores was among several top regional leaders who security analysts believed could be well placed to take over control of the cartel.
Mexico’s security situation is facing tight scrutiny as the country prepares to co-host the FIFA World Cup this summer alongside the US and Canada.
