El Mencho Net Worth: Here's How the Jalisco Cartel Boss Became One of the World's Richest Criminals

Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as "El Mencho," is the prominent leader of the notorious Jalisco cartel of Mexico.

According to BBC News, El Mencho was born in the town of Naranjo de Chila in Aguililla city in the state of Michoacan. He is currently wanted in Mexico and the United States.

The Jalisco New Generation Cartel or Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG) is considered one of Mexico's most dangerous and powerful drug cartels.

El Mencho's group is believed to be behind attacks on Mexican security forces like the 2015 ambush in Jalisco state that left 15 officers dead.

Jalisco cartel was also allegedly behind the attempted assassination of Mexico City's police chief in 2020. The drug cartel is believed to have expanded its presence and operations nationwide in the past years.

The Jalisco cartel had risen to power after Mexican security forces killed former Sinaloa Cartel capo Ignacio Coronel, known as "Nacho," in July 2010.

Nacho's death resulted in the split of the Sinaloa Cartel into two factions - "La Resistencia" and "Torcidos." The "Torcidos" became what is now the Jalisco cartel, which has since expanded rapidly in Mexico.

Jalisco Cartel Boss El Mencho Net Worth

El Mencho is believed to have a fortune as massive as more than $1 billion, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

InsightCrime reported that the Jalisco Cartel boss previously owned 100 Japanese restaurants, real estate, shopping malls, newspapers, and a tequila brand that tried to export to Europe.

He also had "luxurious cabins built on a lagoon on Mexico's Pacific Coast" and "gold bars" used to launder money. El Mencho also once owned a ranch with exotic animals, including a Bengal tiger and endangered birds.

According to Univision, these are just some of El Mencho's properties and items that the U.S. and Mexican authorities have seized in recent years. The figure released by DEA is only an estimate but gives an idea of the vastness of El Mencho's illegal businesses.

Kyle Mori, head of the DEA team tasked with finding El Mencho, told Univision in 2019 that El Mencho already has at least $500 million and could possess more than $1 billion.

Mori also believed that the Jalisco cartel boss was no longer in the cities, adding that he could be hiding in mountainous areas in Jalisco, Michoacan, and Colima.

The U.S. official said another factor that makes capturing El Mencho difficult is that he practices military discipline and does not use drugs. Thus, he is in good health and in excellent physical condition.

The Jalisco Cartel in Mexico

The Jalisco cartel is being blamed for the bulk of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and other illegal drugs transported into the U.S. Apart from drug trafficking, El Mencho's group also earns millions from fuel theft and arms smuggling.

The Jalisco cartel has already established its presence in at least 20 Mexican states, including Mexico City. Its bases of operations are reportedly in Jalisco and Colima states.

El Mencho reportedly prefers to use Pacific routes to move tons of drugs, importing cocaine from Colombia and ephedrine from China through Manzanillo port in Colima.

The Mexican drug kingpin once served as a police officer in Cabo Corrientes and Tomatlan in Jalisco. However, he left the police force to continue his drug trafficking activities and join the Milenio Cartel before becoming the head of the Jalisco cartel.

The U.S. government has already offered a $10 million reward for information leading to El Mencho's arrest. The Jalisco cartel boss remains one of the world's most elusive criminals.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

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