
The Daily Inside the Operation to Take Down Mexico’s Biggest Drug Lord
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Feb 26, 2026 Maria Abi-Habib, investigative reporter on cartels in Mexico City, and Jack Nicas, Mexico City bureau chief covering security, walk through the hunt for El Mencho. They describe his rise, the military raid that ended him, the intelligence and U.S. role, and the violent aftermath and risks for cartel fragmentation and Mexican politics.
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El Mencho As A Parallel State
- El Mencho was possibly the most powerful criminal globally, leading the Jalisco New Generation Cartel with nationwide reach and deep corruption ties.
- He built power over decades by avoiding phones, using human messengers, and embedding influence across state and local governments.
Avocado Picker To Cartel Boss
- El Mencho rose from avocado picker to cartel boss after U.S. arrests and deportations propelled him back into Mexican crime networks.
- He joined local police, then the Millennial Cartel, married a leader's daughter, and leveraged that tie to climb the ranks.
Cartel Diversified Like A Conglomerate
- The Jalisco cartel diversified into legal and illegal industries to entrench power and revenue beyond drugs.
- Operations included extortion of avocado growers, hotels, timeshare scams, and illegal gold mining across South America.


