Jalisco Cartel Official 'Don Carlos' Who Receives Direct Orders From Boss 'El Mencho' Arrested in Mexico
Mexico's Army has captured a top Jalisco cartel operative known as "Don Carlos," who received direct orders from the cartel boss Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes.
According to Mexico News Daily, Carlos Pelayo Núñez, known by his alias "Don Carlos," was the local plaza chief of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco.
He was reportedly arrested at a house in the luxurious Marina Vallarta subdivision of Puerto Vallarta on Thursday.
More than 100 soldiers and agents from the Attorney General's Office (FGR) were deployed in the area for the arrest of the top Jalisco cartel official. Helicopters were also hovering overhead.
The Defense Ministry (Sedena), assisted by the national intelligence agency (CNI), has been following Don Carlos for months.
One resident wrote on Twitter that the area looks like a warzone, with "helicopters circling from 3 a.m. and parked inside the golf course."
A luxury car, weapons, and illegal drugs were confiscated during the raid. The security forces initially detained Don Carlos on a property in the Marina Vallarta before transferring him to Mexico City, where he will face a judge.
The government sees the arrest as another victory in its battle against the Jalisco cartel, which is known to be one of the most powerful criminal organizations in Mexico.
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Don Carlos: The Jalisco Cartel Plaza Chief
Don Carlos was allegedly the one responsible for supplying weapons and vehicles for the Jalisco cartel cells in Puerto Vallarta and central Jalisco.
Don Carlos was included in the Jalisco government's list of the most important drug traffickers in the region. According to Infobae, no further details about his arrest have been released by authorities given the secrecy of the operation.
The Defense Ministry personnel guarded the area and told the public who were curious about what was happening that they could not record or take photographs with their cell phones.
The agents said those were the "orders" of their superiors, adding that they were not authorized to report on what happened. The military forces deployed in Jalisco reportedly remained on alert for possible retaliation from the Jalisco cartel.
In its latest report, the National Urban Public Safety Survey has placed Puerto Vallarta as one of the safest tourist destinations in Mexico.
It was included in the list of top 10 safest cities, together with Los Cabos, San Nicolás de los Garza, Piedras Negras, Coahuila and Tampico.
Jalisco Cartel Boss' El Mencho and His Family
The Jalisco New Generation Cartel or Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG) is considered one of Mexico's most dangerous and powerful drug cartels, who was allegedly involved in mass graves, kidnappings, acid baths, and video recording beheadings.
The Jalisco cartel had risen to power after Mexican security forces killed former Sinaloa cartel capo Ignacio Coronel in July 2010.
Two groups fought for control of the drug trafficking in Jalisco upon Coronel's death. The Torcidos and La Resistencia were the two factions that fought.
The Torcidos now became the Jalisco cartel and rose as the successors to the Sinaloan cap's network in the region, according to an InsightCrime report.
Last November, Rosalinda Gonzalez Valencia or "La Jefa," the wife of El Mencho, was arrested. She is facing charges for several crimes, including her involvement in the "illicit financial operation" of the Jalisco cartel.
El Mencho's daughter, Jessica Johanna Oseguera Gonzales, also known as "La Negra," was sentenced to serve two years and six months under the charge of a rare criminal case involving the Kingpin Act in June last year.
El Mencho, who is the head of the Jalisco cartel, continues to evade capture, and the U.S. government offers a $10 million reward for information leading to his arrest.
The Jalisco cartel boss remains to be the most elusive criminal and is reportedly hiding in Mexico, separated from his family.
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Mary Webber
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