Updated 25 February 2026 at 01:45 IST
Girlfriend Sealed Mexican Drug Lord's Final Takedown: How Lover's Trail Led To El Mencho's Deadly End
Mexican drug lord Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes (popularly known as El Mencho), who was on the run for the past few decades, finally met his deadly end on Sunday after his Mexican authorities tracked his girlfriend.
- World News
- 2 min read

Mexico City: Mexican drug lord Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes (popularly known as El Mencho), who was on the run for the past few decades, finally met his deadly end on Sunday after his Mexican authorities tracked his girlfriend. The leader of Jalisco New Generation Cartel was hiding in the mountains of Jalisco, protected by high security. However, a tip off by an acquaintance of his girlfriend led to his final takedown. Here is how the romantic inclination led to the downfall of Mencho:
The Tip-Off
Both Mexican and American forces had been searching for Cervantes for years, but to no avail. Mexican Defense Secretary General Ricardo Trevilla said that the search was put to a end by the tip-off by a trusted associate of Cervantes' romantic partner.
The associate escorted the woman to Jalisco to meet Cervantes at his home state in Jalisco and the exact location of the drug lord was confirmed. After the women spent the night on the premises, the agents concluded that Cervantes was staying there.
Drug Lord Ambushed
Mexican special forces launched a shootout at Cervantes' home state after the intelligence. During the shootout, eight gunmen were killed and the drug lord and two of his bodyguards were injured while attempting to flee. The injured people were detained and died on the way to Mexico city.
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More than 70 people from both sides were killed int he operation to nab Mexico's most powerful drug lord.
$15 Million Reward
Cervantes, one of the most wanted fugitives in the United States of America, was facing multiple indictments in the US. The U.S. State Department had offered a $15 million reward for information leading to his arrest.
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Published By : Nidhi Sinha
Published On: 25 February 2026 at 00:44 IST