Mexico’s most wanted drug lord ‘El Mencho’ killed in military operation

Last January, Trump told Fox News that after targeting drug trafficking boats “we are going to start now hitting land,” adding that “the cartels are running Mexico”.

Sheinbaum later responded by saying a US troop deployment across the southern border was “not on the table”.

However, if the security forces cannot bring the situation under control quickly, the Mexican administration’s victory may be overshadowed by the cartel’s violent response.

The Jalisco cartel has gained notoriety for a series of attacks on security forces and public officials.

It has downed an army helicopter with a rocket-propelled grenade, killed dozens of state officials, and has even been known to hang the bodies of its victims from bridges to intimidate its rivals.

CJNG cartel – Mexico’s major drug trafficking player
The CJNG cartel – which had its original power base in Jalisco in 2010 – is now present across Mexico.

The DEA considers it to be rivalling the powerful Sinaloa cartel, which has a presence in all 50 US states.

CJNG is also a key supplier of drugs to the US, earning billions from fentanyl production.