Feb 24 • 00:00 UTC 🇮🇹 Italy La Repubblica

"El Mencho", the former agent turned boss who gave up cocaine to rule with fentanyl

Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho", was a powerful Mexican drug lord whose reign over fentanyl ultimately led to his death.

Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as "El Mencho", was the infamous leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel in Mexico. His significant transition from cocaine to fentanyl marked a pivotal shift in the narcotics landscape, highlighting the increasing dominance of synthetic drugs over traditional substances. With fentanyl being a far more potent and lethal drug compared to cocaine, El Mencho's ability to control this market made him one of the most dangerous figures in the drug trade.

El Mencho's life was characterized not only by violence and criminality but also by the shrewd maneuvers that enabled him to evade capture for years. He utilized mountainous terrains like those in Tapalpa to conceal himself and run his operations, especially as law enforcement efforts intensified against him. The cartels' tendency to retreat to remote areas reflects the high stakes involved as law enforcement agencies targeted key leaders with hefty bounties, effectively driving them underground.

Ultimately, the dominance of fentanyl and the ensuing violent struggles for control within the drug trafficking network led to El Mencho's demise. His death symbolizes a significant development in the ongoing battle against drug cartels in Mexico and raises concerns over the future of drug trafficking dynamics, especially as agents chase after the next leader capable of filling the power vacuum left by his absence.

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