Jalisco Cartel Boss El Mencho's Brother 'El Tony Montana' Arrested by Mexico's Army

Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, alias "El Tony Montana," the brother of Jalisco cartel boss Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes, was arrested by the Mexican army on Tuesday, Mexico's Defense Department said.

The military noted that it captured El Mencho's brother in a suburb of Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco state, in possession of weapons.

The army said El Tony Montana bought weapons and laundered money for the notorious Jalisco cartel. He also reportedly oversaw the drug cartel's logistics and violent attacks against rival groups.

Citing the U.S. Treasury Department, CBS News reported that El Mencho's brother has already served a prison sentence in the U.S. following an arrest on heroin charges in 1996. He was then deported to Mexico, where he engaged again in drug trafficking activity.

El Tony Montana has already been put on the Treasury Department sanctions list for his ties to the Jalisco cartel. However, it was still unclear if he had a U.S. warrant for an extradition request.

The Jalisco state was immediately put on high alert after the arrest of El Mencho's brother. In a statement, the military said his arrest was a "powerful blow" to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel or Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG).

El Mencho's Brother Arrest Is Unlikely to Dissolve Jalisco Cartel, Security Analyst Says

El Mencho reportedly shares control of the Jalisco cartel with his two brothers. Aside from Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, the military said El Mencho's other brother, Abraham Oseguera Cervantes, is also in command of the Jalisco cartel.

According to Mexico City security analyst Alejandro Hope, El Tony Montana's arrest is unlikely to cause a major impact on the Jalisco cartel.

"Is it going to dismantle the Jalisco cartel? I doubt it... After so many captures of so many capos, we should be pretty skeptical about its effect," Hope said, as The Guardian reported.

El Mencho's wife was also arrested by Mexican authorities in November last year, while his son, Ruben, was extradited to the U.S. in 2020.

El Mencho's wife, Rosalinda Gonzalez Valencia, alias "La Jefa," is facing charges for several crimes, including her involvement in the "illicit financial operation" of the Jalisco cartel. La Jefa was first captured in May 2018 in Zapopan, Jalisco, based on an arrest warrant for money laundering.

But four months later, she was released after paying an $82,000 bail bond and with the condition that she had to go to a justice center every Thursday and should not leave the country.

She reportedly failed to comply with these directives. Thus, the court ordered that she be arrested again, which was executed on November 15 last year in Zapopan.

Other relatives of El Mencho and his brothers have also become the cartel's regional coordinators and plaza bosses. Among them were Guadalupe Moreno Carrillo, the current partner of El Mencho, and some of their children, such as Jessica Johanna Oseguera Gonzalez.

Known as "La Negra," Jessica Johanna was released from a U.S. prison earlier this year after being jailed for over 25 months on money laundering charges.

The National Guard previously said there are currently 45 "capos" of the Jalisco cartel who remain at large, and authorities still do not know the faces of 15 of them. However, the military noted that they do know how they operate and what areas they control.

El Mencho and the Jalisco Cartel in Mexico

The Jalisco New Generation Cartel is considered one of Mexico's most dangerous and powerful drug cartels. It reportedly had thousands of members and 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, 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. The Jalisco cartel is currently being led by El Mencho, who continues to evade capture.

The U.S. government has already offered a $10 million reward for information leading to his arrest. El Mencho remains to be the most elusive criminal and is reportedly hiding in Mexico.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

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