Authorities in Mexico capture CJNG leader for whom the US offered $5 million

Mexican authorities dealt a significant blow to organized crime with the arrest of Audias Flores Silva, alias “El Jardinero”identified as one of the main operators of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and considered by US agencies as a priority objective.

The arrest was confirmed by the Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection of Mexico, Omar García Harfuch.who detailed that the operation was carried out in the state of Nayarit by elements of the Navy Secretariat, through its Special Forces. According to the official, it was an action “planned, developed and executed” in coordination with federal agencies.

Flores Silva had an arrest warrant in Mexico and was required by United States authorities for extradition purposes.. For information leading to his capture, the US government offered a reward of up to $5 million, which underlines his relevance within the prison structure.

A key operator in the CJNG structure

According to investigations by the United States Department of Justice and the DEA, “El Jardinero” served as one of the regional commanders of the CJNGwith influence in strategic areas of the Mexican Pacific, particularly in Nayarit and neighboring states.

The US authorities link him directly to Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, alias “El Mencho”, considered for years one of the most wanted drug traffickers internationally. Intelligence reports even placed him as a possible successor within the prison organization after the recent death of the capo.

In addition to his operational functions, Flores Silva would have had a relevant role in the logistics of drug trafficking, including the supervision of methamphetamine laboratories, clandestine air routes and the transfer of narcotics to the United States through land transportation networks.

US charges and criminal history

In US federal courts, “El Jardinero” faces accusations of conspiracy to distribute large quantities of cocaine and heroin destined for US territoryas well as for crimes related to the use and possession of firearms.

According to the United States Department of the Treasury, the detainee was also included in its blacklist under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act, which implied international financial sanctions.

Flores Silva, originally from Michoacán, had already faced legal proceedings in the past. In the United States he served a five-year sentence for drug trafficking. After his release, he returned to Mexico, where he continued his illicit activities.

In 2016 he was arrested for his alleged participation in an ambush against police officers in the state of Jalisco, which occurred a year earlier. However, he was later released after appealing the charges in Mexican courts.

The arrest of “El Jardinero” occurs in a context of binational pressure to weaken the structures of the CJNGone of the criminal organizations with the greatest presence in the United States. U.S. officials have said these types of seizures are key to disrupting drug supply chains that affect communities on both sides of the border.

So far, no details have been released about the extradition process.although it is expected that in the coming days Mexican authorities will define their legal situation. Meanwhile, the federal government highlighted the action as part of its strategy to contain organized crime groups.

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