The Mexican authorities arrested this Monday Audias Flores Silvaalias “The Gardener”one of the most wanted drug traffickers in Mexico and the United States.
“El Jardinero” was considered one of the possible successors of the deceased capo Nemesio Ruben Osegueraalias “El Mencho”in front of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
The Security Cabinet of the Mexican government reported that “El Jardinero” was detained in a “surgical operation” carried out by agents of the Navy Special Forces in the state of Nayarit.
The Forty-five-year-old drug trafficker was located on a ranch where he had a strong security circle that tried to protect him with various tactics, but finally federal forces managed to capture him.
“During the development of the operation, it was identified that The target was sheltered in a cabinwith a security device made up of multiple vehicles (around 30 vans) and armed personnel (more than 60 people),” the Security Cabinet reported in a statement.
“Given this situation, a tactical deployment was implemented that included intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, four close support helicopters, two troop transport helicopters, 4 fixed wing aircraft, 120 direct action troops, in addition to 400 naval elements in support actions,” he added.
After a chase, Silva Flores was arrested “when he tried to hide in a drainage pipe” of the ranch, according to authorities.
“The operation was carried out surgically, without the need to fire a single shot, without deaths, injuries or collateral damage.”
The capture was the product of 19 months of monitoringaccording to authorities, and was carried out with intelligence information shared by Mexico and the United States.
“El Jardinero” was considered one of the priority objectives of the Mexican authorities. The US government was also offering a reward of US$5 million for information leading to his capture.
In Mexico, he is noted for the failed attack in 2020 against Omar García Harfuch, who was then chief of the Mexico City police and who is now Secretary of Security of the federal government.
After the capture of “El Jardinero,” local media reported various outbreaks of violence in Nayarit that included the burning of vehicles and businesses, a common retaliation tactic against authorities among organized crime groups in Mexico.
Possible successor to “El Mencho”
Flores Silva controlled regions in dispute over drug trafficking in the Mexican Pacific, where Nemesio Oseguera and the CJNG had a presence.
In addition to the reward offered by the DEA of up to $5 million dollars Due to information leading to his whereabouts, the Treasury Department had identified Flores Silva as a “major foreign drug trafficker.”
He was charged before the US courts in 2021 on charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and heroin, among other crimes.
Carlos Olivo, former DEA agent and CJNG expert, told the agency Reuters that Flores Silva “He is an important figure” in the drug business.
“(His arrest) will have a greater impact on CJNG operations than the elimination of Mencho,” he added.
Flores Silva was also known as Gabriel Raigosa Plascencia and by the aliases “Comandante”, “El Bravo 2”, “Audi” and “Mata Jefes”, according to the DEA.
Technology one of the right hands of “El Mencho”who was shot dead in February of this year during an operation by Mexican authorities seeking his capture.
After the fall of “El Mencho”, the rearrangement put Flores Silva as one of the main leaders to succeed him at the head of the CJNG.
The president of the USA, donald trumphas said that his Mexican counterpart, Claudia Sheinbaum, has committed to a greater fight against drug trafficking and against the entry of fentanyl into US territory from her country.
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